Cristiano Ronaldo ‘has NOT trained’ with Portugal’s other last-16 substitutes today
According to reports in Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo did not train with the Portuguese substitutes on Wednesday and insisted on joining a gym session with the starters.
The 37-year-old was suspended by Portugal coach Fernando Santos during his side’s impressive 6-1 win against Switzerland in the last 16 of the World Cup.
His replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored a stunning hat-trick for Portugal in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo did not train with Portugal’s substitutes on Wednesday
The striker snapped off the substitutes’ training and instead joined the starters in the gym
Santos admitted last week that he was furious with Ronaldo for going out after being substituted during Portugal’s group stage victory over South Korea.
According to Markathe former Manchester United striker continues to cause a stir in Qatar as he failed to show up for training with the Portuguese substitutes.
The Spanish outlet claims that Ronaldo instead went for a low-intensity gym session with the starters, despite playing less than 20 minutes against Switzerland as a substitute.
Portugal’s official Instagram account later uploaded a series of photos from the team’s training at their base in Qatar. Within that, the substitutes, such as Rafael Leao, Ruben Neves and Joao Mario, can be seen at the ball work. Ronaldo is later pictured on the grass, but in sneakers and working separately with resistance bands.
Ronaldo was pictured on Portugal’s Instagram account working out with resistance bands
Meanwhile, Rafael Leao (left) and Ruben Neves were pictured doing ball work in football boots
Joao Mario, who was an unused substitute, undergoes target practice at training in Portugal
Ronaldo, 37, fell to the bench during Portugal’s 6-1 win against Switzerland
Goncalo Ramos replaced Ronaldo and scored a stunning hat-trick in his first World Cup start
The camp in Portugal were reportedly ‘surprised’ not to see Ronaldo among the substitutes on the field, admitting he felt no discomfort and was in perfect condition to train.
Santos’ decision to drop the icon ended Ronaldo’s 31-game streak that he started at major tournaments.
The Portuguese striker had not started a major league international from the bench since Euro 2008, which ironically came against the Swiss.
Fernando Santos said he was furious with Ronaldo for grumbling after being substituted last week
Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez joined in his rage after watching 74 minutes of football without a striker on the pitch against Switzerland.
After the last 16 clash on Tuesday, Rodriguez took to social media to express her frustration.
She said: ‘What a pity we didn’t get to enjoy the best player in the world for 90 minutes. The fans keep claiming you and screaming your name.’
Portugal will take on Morocco in the quarter-finals on Saturday, after African country dramatically knocked Spain out on penalties in the last 16.
Girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez took to social media to vent her anger over Ronaldo’s dropping
After his side’s blistering performance against the Swiss, Santos could well keep his disgruntled superstar out of the starting line-up for the rest of the tournament.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in dramatic fashion last month in the wake of his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he heavily criticized the club’s organisation, facilities and manager Erik ten Hag.
The striker’s former Red Devils teammate Gary Neville told Ronaldo some hard truths ahead of Portugal’s last 16.
Gary Neville criticized Ronaldo on Tuesday, insisting the ‘irritability and sulking must stop’
He told ITV before kick-off: ‘Well what happened at United, the suggestion was, it was because [Erik] Ten Hag tried to launch an attack on him, he tried to establish his authority.
‘This is an administrator [Santos] who has been in an incredible relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo for eight years.
And there are many Cristiano Ronaldo fans who don’t want to tell him the truth. I think he should listen to the truth, that it’s getting to be a bit of a nasty ending.
“The irritability, the stomping, the sulking, it has to stop, because it doesn’t radiate well at all on him.”
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