The sports newspaper A Bola asks its readers the fateful question: 70% ask that Cristiano not be a starter with Switzerland. The statistics confirm: he is disconnected from the rest of the team
Thus spake Portugal. Or at least 70% of “A Bola” readers who took part in the survey on Cristiano Ronaldo: according to most of them, the number 7 shouldn’t play as a starter for the national team. The question was the following: “Does CR7 deserve to play from 1′?”. Unequal verdict, only 30% of affirmative answers.
CLUTCHES
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Cristiano is the star of Portugal, the captain, the top scorer with 118 goals, the one with the most appearances (194). In Qatar he scored in the first against Ghana, then played 82nd minute against Uruguay and about an hour with South Korea, but without shining. Furthermore, in the last match, it seems that he even insulted Fernando Santos, guilty – according to the Portuguese’s lip – of having replaced him once again: “You can’t wait to take me off, eh? Vaff…”. That’s right. The climate around CR7, still free, is not serene. All on the eve of the round of 16 against Switzerland. Ronaldo, 38 in February, is in the last World Cup of his career. His best result remains fourth place in 2006. In 2010 he exited in the round of 16, in 2014 in the groups and in 2018 again in the round of 16, after winning Euro 2016.
DISCONNECTED
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There’s more. “A Bola” also collected some data relating to the first three matches of CR7. Although Portugal finished the groups with positive statistics – fifth best attack, fourth best ball possession, fifth most dribbling international and seventh for shots on goal – Ronaldo’s numbers are anything but. A goal from a penalty, no assists, a couple of crosses scored, only 50% dribbling success and an average of just 55% of completed actions. The latest data concerns 0.66% of shots on goal per game. He who has always been in the thick of the action, from Manchester to Turin. CR7 seems disconnected from the rest of the team, dragged here by a great Bruno Fernandes, author of two goals. Ronaldo is experiencing a particular moment and is at the last World Cup. In 2026 he will be 42 years old. In 2024, on the occasion of Euro 2024 in Germany, 40. In the history of Portuguese football, no one like him, but now the data photograph anything but.
December 4th – 12.20pm
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