FIFA World Cup 2022: Cristiano Ronaldo Did Not Threaten to Leave, Says Portugal Coach Fernando Santos

Santos did acknowledge his star player was “not happy” to be told he was not in the starting lineup in a private meeting on Tuesday after lunch, hours before the game.

Ronaldo's replacement Gon?alo Ramos scored three goals in 6-1 win. The all-time leading scorer for Portugal came off the bench in the 74th minute.

“Cristiano obviously was not very happy about it. He told me Do you really think it's a good idea?'" Santos said one day before facing Morocco in the quarterfinals.

"He has never told me that he wanted to leave the national team," Santos said in translated comments, dismissing reports in Portuguese media. “It is time we stopped with this conversation and the controversies. He celebrated all the goals that we scored."?

"It is time for you to leave Ronaldo alone in acknowledgement of what he did for Portuguese football," the coach said.

Santos declined to say if he would change the team and restore Ronaldo to face Morocco.