Gonçalo Ramos has made his feelings clear about Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible return to the Portugal team.
The 41-year-old star striker has not featured for the national team since the Nations League win over Wales. He was left on the bench for the 2-1 victory in Norway and then walked out of the camp before the 4-2 win over Denmark due to a fallout with head coach Jorge Jesus.
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Portugal won the three games in which Cristiano Ronaldo was either an unused substitute or absent, with Ramos stepping up as his replacement and scoring three goals in three games.
After resolving the issues with Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal named the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in their preliminary squad for the upcoming Nations League games.
Asked about the Al-Nassr striker returning to the team in the November window, the Milan forward told Canal 11’s Soltinhos pelo Mundo:
“If Cris goes to the next camp, we’ll be there. Above all, because of his legacy, nobody will ask anything of him.”
As mentioned earlier, Ramos is the player who gained most from Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit. He scored in the 4-2 win over Denmark and in the 2-1 win over Norway four days later. The striker has three goals from his first four games under Jorge Jesus, plus three goals and an assist in 11 appearances for Milan this season.
Ramos, who started against Denmark and Norway, made no secret of his own ambition, saying he wants to be a starter and feels he has shown what he can do, though he insisted he did not want anyone else dropped to make room for him.
Portugal punished Cristiano Ronaldo after walkout but captain is eligible for November return
The FPF’s disciplinary council announced a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine under article 160 for Cristiano Ronaldo after his walkout from the national team. The ban was backdated to 30 September, so it expires on Friday, 30 October.
O JOGO reported on Monday that Ronaldo is on the pre-list for the closing Group A4 games, against Denmark in Braga on 14 November and Wales in Cardiff three days later. The final squad will be named on 6 November.
Portugal are already through to the quarter-finals, after being top of the group with 12 points from four matches. They are the reigning champions of the Nations League and could make it back-to-back triumphs if they manage to go all the way in the tournament this time around.
Edited by Nived Zenith
