By 
DOHA:
Following his benching against Switzerland, Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to withdraw from the World Cup team, but the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) disputed this on Thursday.
Unexpectedly, the 37-year-old striker was benched for Tuesday’s round of 16 matches, and Goncalo Ramos, who took his place, scored a triple trick in the 6-1 triumph. Ronaldo came off the bench, but according to a Portuguese news outlet, Record, he had earlier threatened to quit during a heated exchange with Fernando Santos.
The federation stated, “The FPF explains that at no point did the Selecao captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, threaten to abandon the national team during the stay in Qatar.
Every day, Ronaldo is establishing an exceptional track record in support of his country and the national team, which demands respect.
The FPF claimed that Ronaldo’s participation versus Switzerland was another example of his dedication to the cause. Ronaldo is both the all-time leading scorer for men’s international teams and the Portuguese player with the most caps.
In the quarterfinal match against Morocco on Saturday, Ramos may once more start over Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner participated in a gym session with the starting against Switzerland on Wednesday rather than training with the other substitutes.
