Bernardo Silva has admitted that the decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal's last-16 tie against Switzerland was 'not a shock' - and also revealed the players were told the news just two hours before kick-off.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was named on the bench for Portugal's clash with the Swiss at Lusail Stadium, having scored just once in the group stages. However, Ronaldo reacted angrily after being taken off in the 2-1 defeat against South Korea - something manager Fernando Santos was not happy with.
To make matters worse for Ronaldo, his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored a hat-trick for Portugal as they ran out 6-1 winners over Switzerland, with Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao also finding the net. It has since been revealed that the Portugal squad only found out shortly before kick-off that Ronaldo was left out of the XI due to the amount of speculation that was surrounding the 37-year-old.
"Between us we talked and asked 'could it be, would it not be?', because the players talk," he told Record. "But we only found out about the team in the locker room when we arrived at the stadium, two hours before the game.
"There are 26 players, too many for the coach to choose for each specific game. It never shocks me that he decides to go with one or the other. Right or wrong in the opinion of each one, the coach has the right to make the decisions he makes."
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments below!
Ronaldo's World Cup had already been disrupted when it was confirmed that his Manchester United contract had been terminated by mutual consent following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan. The experienced frontman slammed Erik ten Hag and admitted he does not have any "respect" for the Dutchman after the United boss decided not to bring him on for the Red Devils' trip to Manchester City.
Having taken time to deliberate his future after the Qatar tournament, Ronaldo has made the switch to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr on a two-and-a-half year deal. The move was confirmed by the club on Friday evening as Ronaldo penned a contract that is supposedly worth around £173million a year - the most lucrative deal in football.
A statement from the club on Friday night read: "This is more than history in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome, Cristiano, to your new home."
Ronaldo added: "Al Nassr's vision is very inspiring and impressive. I look forward to a different league experience in a different country. I am excited to join my team-mates as soon as possible."
