Portugal deny Ronaldo walk-out threat at WC

Agency :
Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has released a statement denying that Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to quit the team’s World Cup (WC) camp.
Reports in Portugal had claimed that the 37-year-old told coach Fernando Santos that he was ready to walk out after being dropped to the bench for the last-16 win over Switzerland.
Ronaldo had started all four previous games for Portugal but had to settle for a place among the substitutes as his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored a stunning hat-trick in a 4-1 victory.
But the FPF issued a statement on Thursday, insisting their all-time leading goalscorer deserved “respect” and had “at no time” threatened to leave Qatar.
“News released this Thursday reports that Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the national team during a conversation with Fernando Santos, national coach,” the statement read.
A news released this Thursday reports that Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the National Team during a conversation with Fernando Santos, national selector.
“The FPF clarifies that at no time the captain of the national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, threatened to leave the national team during the stage in Qatar.”
The statement added: “Cristiano Ronaldo builds every day a unique history at the service of the national team and the country that must be respected … in fact, the level of commitment of Portugal’s most capped player was once again demonstrated – if necessary – in the victory over Switzerland in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup.”