Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dreams came crashing down when Portugal was downed by a spirited Morocco 0-1 in the third quarterfinal of the FIFA World Cup on Saturday (December 10). After this loss, Portugal have been sent home and Ronaldo was into tears at the end of the match. Ronaldo is 37 and with next World Cup to take place in four years, he is certainly not going to be be there. That means the legend of Cristiano Ronaldo will never have a World Cup chapter written in it. It all showed on his face as he left the stadium sobbing.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos has been criticised for 'not treating' Ronaldo rightly and causing the team a World Cup title by not playing him in the Round of 16 clash and then not including him in the startting starting lineup vs Morocco. However, Santos said, after the loss in the quarter-finals, that he has no regrets.
"Our players are distressed," said Portugal coach Fernando Santos as quoted by Sky Sports. Ronaldo had come to the field after fifty minutes but could not make a difference and left the pitch teary-eyed as the World Cup dreams of this 37-year-old were broken in pieces. Santos added: "Cristiano is a great player and he came on when we thought it was necessary. But no, no regrets."
Morocco scripted history on Saturday all thanks to a solitary goal that came in the 42nd minute of the match. Youssef El-Nesyri headed the cross from Attiyat Allah to give his side the advantage which proved fatal for Portugal. Ronaldo did not start in the match and was introduced as the second-half substitute but failed to make any difference. He left the pitch broken and in tears because he knows that was the last time he had wore a Portugal shirt in a World Cup game.
The African nation has been on song in this edition of World Cup. They have been on a rampage, beating sides like Croatia, Belgium, Spain and now Portugal to qualify for the semi-finals where they face Kylian Mbappe's France, the World Cup defending champions.
