Santos clarifies that Ronaldo is classified as a reserve.

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Portugal national football team coach Fernando Santos has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo was the substitute in the last match.

Portugal beat Spain with a 1-1 scoreline in the Nations League A Group 2 on Thursday. Makes both teams start their first game by dividing the score by 1 point each.

However, RTP 3 questioned Santos’ refusal to start Ronaldo, with the Manchester United striker come on as a 62-minute substitute. 

“They are constantly asking why he is playing in the starting XI. UFABET Because I understand that for this game it’s better to use the players I’ve used before.” the 67-year-old said.

“It was an option to start this game. For the direction we want to play and manage the game. It seems that this is our best solution. There is no doubt about Ronaldo’s worth, but it’s not just that.

“It also includes always being mindful of what he gives to the team. When coming on in the second half and helping to fix the game it is like that.

“For this game Players with the personality of Andre (Silva) get along better. A player who knows how to fix it, and Cristiano has a lot of other qualities and that’s why he is the best player in the world. We have four games on the pitch. So we have to rotate.”