Santos and the wrong focus Ronaldo, again and again Ronaldo

Jörg Wolfram reports from Qatar

• Coach Santos this time without louse boys
• Rafael Lead: A training appreciation without effect?
• 2008 CR7 was spared against Switzerland.

You couldn't have imagined not that long earlier. However after this course of the season at Manchester United and this group phase at the World Cup in Qatar, this is precisely what is apparently unthinkable: Cristiano Ronaldo must go to the beginning eleven or not in the round of 16 against Switzerland (8 p.m., live! At )?

Coach Santos this time without louse boys

It was again about CR7 and its future understood on Monday in Saudi Arabia at Al-Aqsa. According to media reports, he is to be contracted there from January till 2025, as Spain's March reports. Including advertising incomes, the 37-year-old need to wave 200 million euros per season.

It would fit into the image of a striker who has been acting more aggressively outside the square than on the yard for months. And his sporty output throughout this time at Man united, however likewise in the Select, in fact, promotes a commitment to a dedication to (regardless of the victory over Argentina for the World Cup start).

I don't understand anything about it, rather I have actually just discovered about it and for that reason can not and do not want to say anything about it, stated Santos. And he doesn't want to say anything about whether Ronaldo might start on the bench versus Switzerland These are speculations from house, I do not focus on that.

National coach Fernando Santos did not permit himself to be drawn the day prior to the video game: he just chooses on the trip to the arena, said the 68-year-old. Due to the fact that the trainer wants to focus on the video game versus the team of coach Murat Akin, absolutely nothing else.

Rafael Lead: A training appreciation without effect?

2008 CR7 was spared against Switzerland.

We have to do it much better than against South Korea, otherwise we will go home.

Fernando Santos

Santos, however, didn't want to say anything about Ronaldo and set a last point under his conflict with gamers of the opponent South Korea at the end of the group phase on Friday at 1-2.

National coach Fernando Santos did not permit himself to be enticed the day prior to the game: he just decides on the journey to the stadium, stated the 68-year-old. Because the trainer wants to focus on the video game against the team of coach Murat Akin, absolutely nothing else.

If he hits again, then he would have satisfied an overall of Nine times at World Cup finals and adjusted the Portuguese state record of Eugenio from the 1966 World Cup. The fact that the world record goalscorer at the national group level (118 goals in 194 games) was not in the beginning eleven of the Select at a final round was 15 years ago: at the European Championship 2008 he remained 0: 2 just versus the current challenger on match day 3 Group stage totally outside. Decision back then.

Ronaldo is currently playing his 5th World Cup with Portugal: at 3-2 versus Ghana, he had satisfied with a charge, in the following 2-0 against Uruguay he played as unhappily as against South Korea when he even indebted the first objective. It was changed against the Asians in the middle of the 2nd half. If you believe Santos to safeguard him from more manages with your challenger. In the 2 games previously, the coach had actually only taken the superstar from Held in the absolute last stage. Even that hadn't existed in the past. CR7 was just a various quality, although the potential for important objectives might still not be denied.

The truth that he praised the possible replacement gamer Rafael Lead does not have actually to be exaggerated, the coach was clearly asked. Santos testified to the 23-year-old huge capacity. An appealing career is awaiting him. In spring, the assailant had a decisive function in the first air conditioner Milan champion in eleven years. Lead had actually likewise fulfilled as an alternative in the 3-2 starting versus Ghana.

Is now also a Portugal with a weakening Ronaldo preferred? The favorites are constantly those who advance, said the coach. My favorite is Portugal. It was still his louse boy smile.

In the 2 video games before, the coach had actually just taken the superstar from Held in the absolute last stage. If he strikes once again, then he would have fulfilled a total of 9 times at World Cup finals and equalized the Portuguese state record of Eugenio from the 1966 World Cup. The favorites are always those who advance, said the coach.

So now Switzerland once again. The Akin group expects Santos to no less disciplined and arranged like South Korea on Friday. However, Portugal constantly has the responsibility to win, the fitness instructor refers to the claims at Select, which he coached in 2016 as a European Champion title. We need to do it much better than against South Korea, otherwise we will go home.