DOHA, Qatar — Portugal coach Fernando Santos blasted Cristiano Ronaldo‘s reaction to being substituted in Friday’s World Cup game against South Korea and refused to confirm whether the striker will play against Switzerland on Tuesday.
Ronaldo looked visibly frustrated when he was replaced in the 65th minute of the 2-1 defeat, with cameras catching the 37-year-old appearing to say, “He’s in a rush to sub me.”
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Ronaldo was then involved in a verbal altercation with South Korea player Cho Gue-Sung as he left the field, and it was only after the game that Santos realised how Ronaldo had reacted to his substitution.
“Let’s split this answer in two,” said Santos when asked about video footage appearing to show Ronaldo criticising the decision to substitute him.
“Right after the match, I spoke in the flash interview, and then went to the press conference, and there I said something I’ll repeat here: on the pitch, I didn’t hear anything. I was too far, and this is why I only saw him arguing with a South Korean player, and nothing else.
“Have I already watched the footage? Yes. I didn’t like it. Didn’t like it at all. From there, it’s things you sort out internally. It was sorted out this way, and now we think about the game tomorrow. Everyone is focused on the game.”
