Ronaldo in the departure vortex: Portugal chaos just before the quarterfinals

Created: 2022-12-09 05:59

By: Stefan Schmid

The non-consideration of Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Cup round of 16 continues to make waves.

Now the association feels compelled to comment.

Al-Shahania - Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo seemed anything but happy that his coach Fernando Santos did not consider him for the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup.

Ronaldo came on as a substitute in the 74th minute, when it was already 5-1 for Portugal.

After the 6-1 win against Switzerland, the whole circus really got going.

Among other things, rumors have been raised that the eccentric superstar is said to have threatened to leave Qatar, fueled by his own sister of all people.

In the meantime, the association has denied the reports and Ronaldo himself also commented, but without taking a direct position on the allegations.

Ronaldo sister radical: "Wanted so much that he left the national team"

Even during the game it became clear that the Portuguese superstar's reserve role was not well received by those around him.

The look from Ronaldo's wife Georgina, who was in the stands at the stadium, at the start of the game spoke volumes.

Not amused was the wife of the eccentric player, whose reputation now seems to be crumbling in the national team after his contract with Manchester United was terminated.

Cristiano Ronaldo was visibly unhappy with his place on the bench against Switzerland.

© IMAGO/Marcio Machado

A day later, the words of another part of the Ronaldo clan hit like a bomb.

His sister Katia Aveiro wrote on

below a picture of the Portuguese on the substitutes' bench: "I wanted so badly for him to come home, for him to leave the national team and sit by our side to hug him and to tell him everything is fine."

Departure rumors force Portugal to comment

What is interesting about the lines of Ronaldo's sister is that they are formulated in the past tense.

So it's reasonable to conclude that the misunderstood superstar was grappling with a departure from Qatar.

As the Portuguese newspaper

was the first to report, Ronaldo threatened to leave after he was said to have found out about his bench against Switzerland.

Shortly after the conversation with coach Fernando Santos, he is said to have changed his mind.

With the aim of smothering the discussion, the association issued a statement that relegates any thoughts of Ronaldo's departure to the world of fairy tales.

The 37-year-old "never threatened to leave the national team in Qatar," according to the official statement on Thursday.

The association also promotes respect for their captain and speaks of a "unique history in the service of the national team and the country", which would be further developed by him.

Ronaldo avoids clear denials – sisters shoot sharply

If Ronaldo himself expressed a clear denial about the rumors of departure, it would probably be easier to get the matter out of the way.

But he does not seem to want to do the association this favor shortly before the quarter-finals against Morocco.

This is what he said, but did not directly address the allegations.

His team, he writes on Twitter, is “a group too united to be broken by outside forces.

A nation too brave to be intimidated by an opponent.

A team in the truest sense of the word that will fight for the dream to the end!”

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His sisters are clearer, albeit in a different direction.

Both Katia Aveiro, who already made headlines with her departure wishes, and Elma Aveiro shoot

sharply at the critics in their own country via

"They curse, they continue to insist on insults and ingratitude," says Katia, while Sister Elma tops it all off.

They "please only 1% of the wretched and hypocrites not to say shit with their mouths open."