All these boys know the pressure. They have played or are playing for a club at Real Madrid, Manchester United or Manchester City. But Cristiano Ronaldo has broad shoulders and, in selection, it is he who for 15 years has taken the light and carried the weight of responsibility. Not since Tuesday. Against Switzerland, the star started on the bench and only came into play for the last quarter of an hour. Scorer and author of a magnificent performance, central defender Pepe (39) then returned the captain’s armband to him, as a due.
But following the match, Pepe also recalled that the collective came before individualities, however strong and symbolic they may be. “It was a coach’s choice and we have to respect our coach’s decision,” he told Portuguese public television RTP. “+ Cris + knows perfectly well, and the coach has said it very clearly, that the most important thing here is the + us +. And when it’s like that…”
In fact, the result once morest Switzerland (6-1) was spectacular, with a totally liberated team and a varied and inspired attacking game. “That’s what was planned. That’s what we wanted. We wanted a team that played with a lot of fluidity and we played very well,” said Fernando Santos.
Disappointing statistics
Thursday during midfielder Otavio’s press conference, 48 hours before the quarter-final once morest Morocco, questions regarding Ronaldo were still linked. “Ronaldo is a model and he is unique. But Gonçalo Ramos (author of a hat-trick once morest Switzerland, editor’s note) played very well and everyone is ready to play,” explained the Porto midfielder.
“I consider myself one of the 26 players who arrived very united at the World Cup. We think we can go very far and nothing can tear us apart,” he added. If the five-time Ballon d’Or is once more a substitute on Saturday once morest Morocco, some executives will then have to take on even more responsibility.
This is particularly the case of Bruno Fernandes. Manchester United’s attacking leader this season despite declining stats (three goals and three assists in 20 matches), he also aspires to be with Portugal. He is the second best scorer in activity, very far behind “CR7”, with 13 achievements in 52 selections. “We had won the first matches with Cristiano in the XI. He is doing his job, he is contributing, he is happy with the result because everyone’s goal is to go as far as possible. I don’t think so. that people should talk regarding why he plays or not, because when he plays and we win, nobody talks regarding it. When he plays and we lose, everyone talks regarding it,” he said. -he notices.
Another attacking midfielder, Bernardo Silva, an important element of Manchester City’s superb scoring machine, is also called upon to recover some of the charge dropped by Ronaldo. Despite his 77 caps, the attacking midfielder weighs too little statistically in major tournaments. In Qatar, he has still not scored or given an assist. But that can change, Saturday once morest Morocco.
