Chelsea star Joao Felix has spoken about Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal snub at the World Cup and his decision to move to Saudi Arabia.
There was plenty of shock when Ronaldo was dropped to the bench for Portugal’s last 16 tie at the World Cup against Switzerland, which his team won 6-1.
Ronaldo fell out of favour for club and country at the end of 2022, ultimately leaving Manchester United and joining Al Nassr in a £177million-a-year deal.
Now, Portugal star Felix has spoken about Fernando Santos' decision to drop Ronaldo and the surprise there was amongst the squad.
Speaking to AS, he said: “We were surprised, because seeing Cristiano on the bench is not something you’re used to. But it was the gaffer’s decision: he’s the one who calls the shots.
“Cristiano reacted really well, because we were all pulling in the same direction and creating positive vibes.
"His reaction was really good for the rest of us, because he looked to give the team confidence and make it clear that we were all in this together. It was really good for us and he just kept on being a real help in every way.”
Felix was also asked about Ronaldo’s international future and whether he thinks the country’s all-time top scorer will still continue playing with the Portuguese national team.
Felix supported Ronaldo’s decision to move to the Saudi Pro League and does not expect it to affect the legendary striker's Portugal career.
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The Chelsea star said: “No [he’s not surprised by the move], because there was nothing left for him to win in Europe.
“He’s written his name into the history books and now he’s going to write his name into the history books in Saudi Arabia. I wish him all the best.”
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