Cristiano Ronaldo is once again a substitute with the Portuguese national team, this time for the match against Morocco in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Fernando Santos once again included striker Gonçalo Ramos in the starting eleven, who scored a hat-trick against Switzerland to secure Portugal's spot in the next round.
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Confirmed Portugal Lineup
As you may recall, the Portuguese forward started on the substitute bench in the match against Switzerland and only got minutes towards the end of the game.
Why was Cristiano Ronaldo a substitute against Switzerland?
The coach Fernando Santos addressed this during a press conference and explained the reasons why the 'Commander' was relegated to the substitutes' bench. The coach stated that it was a "strategic decision and nothing else."
SEE ALSO: [DirecTV Sports LIVE] Portugal vs. Morocco: follow the match here for a spot in the semis of Qatar 2022
"I said it was closed and it was. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world playing professionally and as captain. So we just have to think about this team collectively," he added.
If we take into account the statements of Portugal's coach, along with the great performance of Gonçalo Ramos, the reason for the 'Bicho's' substitution would be purely strategic.
Where do Portugal vs. Morocco play?
The match between Portugal vs. Morocco will take place at Al Thumama Stadium, a football venue located in Doha, Qatar. It is one of the official venues of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.