Portugal legend, Luis Figo, has blamed coach Fernando Santos for the team’s exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In a chat with Sportskeeda, Figo stated that Santos was wrong to have benched Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s defeat against Morocco in the Quarter Finals.
Figo, who represented Portugal during the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments, said Santos cannot win the World Cup, leaving Ronaldo on the bench, adding that the manager made a mistake.
However, the 37-year-old was left out of the starting XI against Switzerland in the last 16 as 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos replaced him.
“You can’t win the World Cup with Cristiano on the bench. Leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench was a mistake. This defeat is the responsibility of Fernando Santos,” Figo was quoted by Sportskeeda as saying.
11 Comments
If Ramos had scored another Hattrick nobody will blame the coach. For once people should open their eyes and accept that Ronaldo has past his best.
@Chima…His undoing was bench Joao Cancelo who is arguably one of the best crosser of the ball into the box where Ronaldo would have benefit from. The Morrocans defend is rock solid so you either break it by taking 1 or 2 players to open up space and shoot accurately or cross the ball in the box for an header. Also Bernando Silva should played from the right wing. Rafael Leao from the left, Joao Felix should have play a free role and William Calvarho play his usual role. Even if Ronaldo didn’t start, coming in as 2nd half sub can still make impact bcos Leao, Cancel would have settled in well. Also Bernando Silva playing from his best position
*dribbling or taking on 1 or 2 players on to open up space
In Nigeria everybody is a coach. You hardly know the players and you can’t claim to know more than the coach of a country who know his players in and out!
When People finally convert jealousy to hatred, they will begin to look for reasons to disrespect you. I really dislike the way ronaldo was disrespected by santos, ronaldo is 37 but still scored more than all of their players in this current season, if girou can play why should ronaldo be teated that way. Scored 19 goals last season for club, he is the highest goal scorer of all time in portugal and most experienced among team mates,still verry determined and hungry to win the World cup, he can not be compared to any of the Young players, santos messed up for real, you dont treath a legend like that, bench him against morocco! Moroco header is a reminder to santos of what ronaldo could do with the head. They wanted to riddicle a legend like thar and they fell shot, ronaldo captained portugal to their first ever International truphy.
@ ID, all of the attack on Ronaldo may just have the hand of the “establishment” who control the media, the world’s finance, the world’s mega industries eg Coca cola etc.
His( Ronaldo) problem started when he objected to be identified with coca cola whilst he was with Juve.
See brodaman, there is a deep mafia used by the elements, who in turn are tools in the hands of the devil to manipulate this evil world; with people not even aware they are being manipulated to act strangely, with their action/judgement always seemingly right to them.
You are only free from this satanic manipulation when you allow JESUS CHRIST REIGN IN YOUR LIFE WHILE YOUR LIFE IS HIDDEN IN HIM/HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD. NEXT TO COME UNDER FIERCE ATTACK IS FIFA PRESIDENT/QATAR. WATCH OUT AS THEY HIT WHEN THE MAJORITY DONT SEE THEM COMING.
That may have been the case with coca cola, However @Glory Ronaldo’s Real problems and vendetta started with the wink in WC 2006 however the hate also started after 2004 from an English perspective. A player who knocked England out of Euro 2004, Knocked them out of World Cup 2006 Quarter final, rightly got Wayne Rooney Sent off for a disgusting tackle Rooney made on a Portugal Player (another Reason Rooney Hates Ronaldo with passion coupled with Ronaldo making Rooney look average when they played together in Man UTD) then, scoring the Winning Penalty.
His Portugal team also won the Euro 2016 against France he was the star player until France tried to break his leg in the Final game he still rally the team from the sidelines. Look at all the bad press coming and attacking Ronaldo and tell me which Countries is fabricating these stories.
In all honesty with Ex Pundits and Media Personality controlling most of if not all the Votes for Ballon Do’r this is where Ronaldo was robbed of about 3 ballon do’rs in the early 2010’s as well as FIFA being corrupt Sepp baltter and UEFA Michelle Paltini (Swiss and French Respectively).
The Coca Cola incident just got him more enemies however i do not Think Coca Cola really had a hand in this wretched treatment of Ronaldo Over the years this is down to hateful english ex pundits ex football and non ex football pundits alike. Fabricated stories Rooney’s hate towards him comes from what I mentioned above and the rest i.e. Gary Neville, English fans and social media content creators and co is from that 2006 WC and infamous Wink, and thier Perceived Ronaldo Arrogance when he Ran this league ragged in his time there and rightly calling himself the best at the time after all he did to englan on the world stage.
@ Ugo, all of what you saying here are mere symptomatic evidence of the manipulation and the players in this Ronald’s episode, like you mentioned are only stooges.
These things, the material eyes/mind will struggle to comprehend. So better off, we just leave like that.
All this online coaches sef…can’t you all be happy for morrocans?
My brother I wonder o…..lol
Morocco moves and we move.
Ronaldo, you’ve missed the chance of winning the world cup as a player but you still have a as coach or may be your son can do it for you….
Remember; not all players are destined to win every trophy they participate, if you doubt me ask IBRAHIMOVIC, RONALDO DELIMA, BALAck, BAGGIO, NISTELROY, BERGKAMP DENNIS, BUFFON, CANTONA, who never won the UCL despite the illustrious career.