World Cup 2022: Ronaldo went from ‘celebration’ to superstar nobody wants

Cristiano Ronaldo (37, independent) has now become a superstar that nobody wants as he was excluded from the starting list for the round of 16 against Switzerland played at Lusail Stadium in Qatar on the 6th (local time) following the declaration of separation from Manchester United.

On the day of the round of 16, the Portuguese national team responded to coach Fernando Santos’ courage by not sending the national football icon to the starting lineup by winning 6-1 with a perfect attack.

On the 10th (local time) Portugal faces Morocco in the quarter-finals.

Santos’ decision to remove Ronaldo from the starting list after openly criticizing him for his on-field gestures when he was substituted in the second half during the final group stage match against South Korea turned out to be correct.

Also, Gonzalo Hamus (21, SL Benfica), who replaced Ronaldo, scored a wonderful hat-trick and the Portuguese team really hit the jackpot.

It must have been a bittersweet time for Ronaldo, who received an unexpected ban following a poor end to his Manchester United FC career amidst public criticism.

It is the first time in 14 years since 2008 that Ronaldo has not started a major tournament, ending a streak of 31-game appearances.

It was certainly a courageous decision for the starting line-up not only for this World Cup but also for Santos, who has led the Portuguese national team for the past eight years.

Even if Santos, the manager who gifted Portugal the UEFA European Football Championship in 2016, must have known the risks involved in the huge tectonic shift of the “Ronaldo exclusion”.

Had Portugal, who participated without Ronaldo, failed to advance to the quarter-finals, the direction of the critics’ arrow would not have been Ronaldo.

But instead of focusing on Ronaldo’s overwhelming presence on match day, Santos watched closely as usual as the Portuguese players moved more forcefully and fluidly and threatened on the wings.

The midfield line, centered on Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandez, moved smoothly and new striker Hamus, who made his World Cup debut, was replaced by Ronaldo and easily passed the weight.

In addition, Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), who usually has good skills, was calm before, but showed more freedom than other fellow players in this game.

Veteran defender Pepe (39, FC Porto) has shown that age has no bearing on Santos’ decision.

Hamus scored the opener from the side of the post, then scored again from close to the opposition goal and then outpaced Swiss goalkeeper Jan Sommer for a hat-trick.

Additionally, he helped Rafael Geheiro (28, Borussia Dortmund) score in the second half, netting three goals and one assist in his World Cup debut.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo played 514 minutes and scored no goals in the 2022 World Cup before this match, while Hamus played 67 minutes and scored 3 goals.

And throughout the match, the camera continued to lock onto Ronaldo’s face as he sat on the bench on the international stage after wrapping up his Manchester United career, focusing on every change in his expression.

Hundreds of cameras following Ronaldo right after the national anthem almost seemed to bear witness to what had happened, as the Portuguese side proved their prowess with a landslide victory over disappointing Switzerland despite his absence.

Meanwhile, as Hamus made the score 5-1 and the Portugal team was in full swing, loud shouts of ‘Ronaldo’ could be heard from the stands of the Lusail Stadium. The rumors shouting Ronaldo’s trademark “heavy rain” ceremony continued.

This appears to have been largely driven by local spectators paying money to come to the stadium to see Ronaldo in person.

Or it could have been the cry from Swiss fans who want Santos to put Ronaldo in Hamus’ place, who is giving them a twisty moment.

With 16 minutes to go, coach Santos replaced Ronaldo for Felix.

Ronaldo entered the stadium like a faded talisman, but it was a bit embarrassing as he looked more like he was showing his face to the fans than making a significant contribution to an important World Cup match. I even felt embarrassed.

Indeed, every time Ronaldo received the ball, there was anticipation in the crowd to see the magic of Ronaldo. Then again, the magic came close to unfolding as Ronaldo fired in, but the offside flag was raised and the boos blasted.

Even the brief interest and anticipation poured into Ronaldo disappeared when another young striker, AC Milan’s Rafael Leang, rattled the goal post in extra time in the second half to wrap up an epic 6-1 win.

At the final whistle of the match, Ronaldo applauded the crowd and then went first to the locker room, congratulating and giving a moment of glory to his teammates who must be congratulated for showing the best performance to the point of being threatening in this World Cup .

Of course, Ronaldo could make a decisive contribution to Portugal in the remaining matches of the World Cup. No matter what, it’s because they are invincible and are looking for a new team.

However, it seems difficult to start in the match against Morocco.

After rudely and blatantly criticizing Manchester United’s management problems, Ronaldo was kicked out the door and was dismissed from the Portuguese national team, which he considered even more irreplaceable.

Ronaldo was once the future itself. However, with the appearance of new stars like Hamus and Leang, it seems that he will gradually remain a star of the past.

So what awaits this star who is now dying in his club and country. First, it is clear that he will start on the bench in the quarter-final against Morocco.