Qatar: Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped from the starting line-up when Portugal locked horns with Switzerland in the Round of 16 encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Eyeing a place in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup on Wednesday, Ronaldo-less Portugal thrashed Switzerland in the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup at the Lusail Stadium.
Ronaldo, who only scored a single goal for Portugal in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup, was used as a late second-half substitute by head coach Fernando Santos.
In the lead-up to the last 16 encounter against the Swiss, Portugal coach Santos had openly condemned Ronaldo’s behaviour after the 37-year-old was substituted during the team’s final group game in Qatar.
Replacing Ronaldo in the Portugal side, Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick as the 2016 UEFA Euro winners hammered Switzerland 6-1 in the Round of 16 match at the Qatar World Cup.
Ronaldo-led Portugal will meet Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
