Why Ronaldo Was Not in the Starting Lineup: Coach Explains Decision

The head coach of the Portuguese national team, Fernando Santos, has explained the decision not to include forward Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting lineup for the World Cup 2022 Round of 16 match against Switzerland.

“My decision is in no way related to his performance against South Korea, let’s put that question to rest. We contemplated this a few days before today’s match. The teams were ready for this a long time ago. It’s a technical decision, nothing more,” Santos said, as reported by Record.

The Portuguese national team secured first place in Group H, earning 6 points. They defeated Ghana (3-2) and Uruguay (2-0), but lost their last match against South Korea (1-2). In the Round of 16, the Portuguese team thrashed Switzerland with a score of 6-1 and advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will play against Morocco.