The veteran striker was a substitute for
the first time at a World Cup since 2006 for his side’s last-16 match against
Switzerland, which they won 6-1.
A report in Portuguese newspaper Record
said Ronaldo had threatened to quit the squad after he was told he was not in
the starting line-up.
The Portuguese football federation denied
the report and Ronaldo himself took to social media to state that the squad was
“too united to be broken by outside forces”.
Santos, speaking on the eve of Portugal’s
quarter-final against Morocco, said he had spoken to Ronaldo on the day of the
game against Switzerland.
“I invited him to my office, and told him
‘you will not be one of the starters’, so it would not be a surprise,” he said.
“I told him he would be important (but) in
terms of the strategy, I told him ‘it’s better for you not to play’. I saved
him for the second half.”
Santos said five-time Ballon d’Or winner
Ronaldo never threatened to leave the team camp, although he was upset about
being dropped.
“Cristiano, for obvious reasons, was not
very happy about it,” said Santos. “He’s always been a starting player except
for one or two games on the bench — obviously he was not happy.
“He told me ‘do you really think it’s a
good idea?’ But we had a normal conversation in which I explained my
viewpoints.
“Of course, he accepted. We had a frank and
normal conversation, he has never told me he wanted to leave our national
team.”
Santos said Ronaldo showed his commitment
to the team by celebrating Portugal’s goals and leading the players to applaud
the fans.
“It’s high time we stop with this
conversation, stop the controversies,” said the coach, trying to draw a line
under the affair.
“It’s high time for you to leave Ronaldo
alone, in acknowledgement for what he’s done for Portuguese football.”
Santos hinted that he might bring the
37-year-old back into the team to face Morocco on Saturday, saying the north
African side would provide a different challenge from Switzerland.
The Portuguese football federation denied
the report and Ronaldo himself took to social media to state that the squad was
“too united to be broken by outside forces”.
Santos, speaking on the eve of Portugal’s
quarter-final against Morocco, said he had spoken to Ronaldo on the day of the
game against Switzerland.
“I invited him to my office, and told him
‘you will not be one of the starters’, so it would not be a surprise,” he said.
“I told him he would be important (but) in
terms of the strategy, I told him ‘it’s better for you not to play’. I saved
him for the second half.”
Santos said five-time Ballon d’Or winner
Ronaldo never threatened to leave the team camp, although he was upset about
being dropped.
“Cristiano, for obvious reasons, was not
very happy about it,” said Santos. “He’s always been a starting player except
for one or two games on the bench — obviously he was not happy.
“He told me ‘do you really think it’s a
good idea?’ But we had a normal conversation in which I explained my
viewpoints.
“Of course, he accepted. We had a frank and
normal conversation, he has never told me he wanted to leave our national
team.”
Santos said Ronaldo showed his commitment
to the team by celebrating Portugal’s goals and leading the players to applaud
the fans.
“It’s high time we stop with this
conversation, stop the controversies,” said the coach, trying to draw a line
under the affair.
“It’s high time for you to leave Ronaldo
alone, in acknowledgement for what he’s done for Portuguese football.”
Santos hinted that he might bring the
37-year-old back into the team to face Morocco on Saturday, saying the north
African side would provide a different challenge from Switzerland.