Georgina Rodriguez aims salty dig at Fernando Santos after starting Cristiano Ronaldo on bench against Morocco
Georgina Rodriguez has pulled no punches towards Portugal manager Fernando Santos after starting Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench against Morocco.
Santos controversially dropped Ronaldo for Portugal’s last-16 match against Switzerland and replaced him with Goncalo Ramos, who scored a sensational hat-trick.
Rodriguez, 28, broke her silence and staunchly defended Ronaldo after Portugal’s 6-1 thumping of Switzerland at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday.
Santos opted to stick with Ramos for the quarter-final clash against Morocco on Saturday, with Ronaldo once again settling for a place on the bench.
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However, Morocco stunned the 2016 Euro champions in the first half after Youssef En-Nesyri fired a Ronaldo-esque header past Diogo Costa.
Ronaldo came off the bench early in the second half, but the Portugal captain was unable to score the all-important equaliser to keep his side in the World Cup.
The 37-year-old Portuguese forward, who was competing at what could be his final World Cup, broke down in tears in the tunnel after Morocco’s sensational 1-0 win.
Rodriguez was in attendance at the Al-Thumama Stadium as Portugal crashed out of the World Cup, but she paid tribute to her partner after the quarter-final defeat.
The 28-year-old model took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of Ronaldo, with Rodriguez blasting Santos over his “wrong” decision to not start the Manchester United legend.
“Today your friend and coach decided wrong. That friend for whom you have so many words of admiration and respect,” she wrote to her 40.6m Instagram followers.
“The same one who, by getting you into the game, saw how everything changed, but it was too late.
“You cannot underestimate the best player in the world, his most powerful weapon.
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“Nor can you stick up for someone who doesn’t deserve it. Life teaches us lessons. Today we have not lost, we have learned.”
Morocco, who knocked Spain out in the last 16, will clash with the winner of France vs England in the World Cup semi-finals on 14th December at the Al-Bayt Stadium.
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Football, FIFA World Cup
Adnan Riaz