Portugal coach Fernando Santos says his decision not to include superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI for yesterday’s UEFA Nations League match against Spain was part of the team’s strategy. Sixty minutes into the match, Ronaldo came on for both teams to score one goal each.
It is very rare that Portugal captain Ronaldo is not in the starting XI. When the team for the match was announced yesterday, the fans were frowned upon. But Santos made it clear that the decision did not call into question Ronaldo’s ability, but only part of the team’s strategy.
“Cristiano Ronaldo? People often ask me why I’m starting a player. That’s a valuable question. I thought it would be nice to play with the players I use in this match.
“It was a technical and strategic decision. It’s the best solution when we consider the way we approach the game and how we play it. The merits of Cristiano Ronaldo have nothing to do with this, it’s not a question.”
“There are opportunities for us to think differently in matches. We thought the player could get down in the second half and fix the match.” Speaking to the media after the match, Santos said:
Substitute Ronaldo could not score in yesterday’s match. Portugal equalized in the 82nd minute through Ricardo Horta’s goal against Spain, who took the lead through Alvaro Morata in the first half.
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