Ronaldo was subjected to a ‘political ban’ at World Cup, says Turkish President
The Portugal captain didn’t make the starting line-up in the team’s two knockout games for ‘political reasons’.
Cristiano Ronaldo was subjected to a ‘political ban’ at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Despite picking Ronaldo in the line-up for all three Group H games, Fernando Santos benched the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for the knockout stages. The then-Portugal manager elected Goncalo Ramos as his starting striker instead.
Portugal reached the quarter-finals, but crashed out of the World Cup in a shock 1-0 defeat to Morocco.
“They have wasted Ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him,” Erdogan said at a youth event in the eastern Erzurum province on Sunday as quoted on AA.
“Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy.”
“Ronaldo is someone who