However, the pivot of choice, Cristiano Ronaldo, is having difficulties at the club…
There is already doubt beginning to settle about the “CR7”. I saw editorials in the Portuguese press, which hadn’t been there before, that asked if he should be a regular starter during the competition. We will not say that Portugal is divided in two, because the majority of the country supports Ronaldo and believes that we must support him until the end. But there is still a small part that begins to imagine that it would be better without him.
Could this lead to changes within the team in Qatar?
Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the heart of the Portuguese system. Changes, if they are to come, will only come from one person: himself. Coach Fernando Santos will do nothing to threaten his star status or importance on the pitch.
But, indeed, it should be known that Ronaldo at the club and Ronaldo with Portugal are two completely different people. The image that sometimes sticks to his skin at the club, a very individual one, is much less important with Portugal. We have been able to see him, especially during Euro 2016, messing around with his forces as if he were an assistant coach, getting along a lot with the team.
Indeed, the striker has started to develop his game in recent months. We saw the beginnings of that during the play-offs against North Macedonia and Turkey. He moves a lot more than before, creating spaces. He no longer loves all balloons. His teammates also started to change: they were no longer so obsessed with Cristiano. One of the goals against Macedonia is particularly revealing: Jota at the far post perfectly handles a Bruno Fernandes cross. However, it was Ronaldo’s move to the near post that made room for the Liverpool player.
I’m sure he’ll turn in the selection because he’s able to win the World Cup, over “sacrificing” himself.
