Cristiano Ronaldo was all smiles after what he believed was his second goal of the World Cup against Uruguay for Portugal on Monday night. Ronaldo celebrated with Bruno Fernandes, thinking he had scored, but replays showed that it was actually Fernandes who netted the goal. Initially credited to Ronaldo, FIFA later awarded the goal to Fernandes, which will be the official record, much to Ronaldo’s disappointment.
This was Fernandes’ first World Cup goal, and he added another in the final minutes of the match when Portugal was awarded a controversial penalty. Ronaldo, who had been substituted off before the penalty was given, would have taken the spot-kick if he had still been on the pitch. He likely went to bed feeling he had been deprived of two World Cup goals.
Ronaldo recently told Piers Morgan that he doesn’t chase records, but rather, records chase him. However, with Lionel Messi also having eight World Cup goals, Ronaldo is undoubtedly aware that this will be his last chance to surpass his rival. Fernandes’ brace on Monday night might have felt like a missed opportunity for Ronaldo.
“The feeling I had was that Cristiano touched the ball. I was passing the ball to him,” Fernandes told reporters after the game. “What matters is that we’re going through to the next round after playing a very tough opponent.” Replays suggest that if Ronaldo did touch the ball, it was only his hair grazing it. Despite this, Ronaldo’s close friend, Edu Aguirre, suggested that the Portuguese Federation would present evidence to FIFA to prove the goal was Ronaldo’s.
This situation highlights Ronaldo’s self-serving motivations. It’s clear that Ronaldo often prioritizes himself over the team, and attempting to take a goal away from Fernandes, a teammate he has spent considerable time with, only underscores this. Fortunately, FIFA and adidas have since confirmed Fernandes as the scorer.
Fernandes has played with Ronaldo for Portugal since his international debut and has always expressed that playing with Ronaldo was a ‘dream come true.’ However, the 28-year-old might be privately relieved that Ronaldo has left Manchester United. Fernandes has consistently maintained that playing with Ronaldo has not hindered his performances, but the statistics suggest otherwise. Fernandes contributed 43 goals and 25 assists in 83 games without Ronaldo at the club, compared to 10 goals and 17 assists in 63 games since Ronaldo’s return.
“Most of my assists last season were for him, so I don’t think [it is fair],” Fernandes told The Athletic in September when asked about whether he can play with Ronaldo. “I just had a poor season in terms of my own numbers. I don’t think it is about Cristiano.”
In the national team, Fernandes has shown that he can perform well with Ronaldo on the pitch. “To play with Cristiano as a No.10 is actually really good because players respect him so much that it creates more space, as the opponents are afraid of him taking the ball and scoring,” Fernandes added.
Despite Fernandes’ comments, the evidence is clear. The playmaker has not been as effective with Ronaldo at the club, and he seems to grow in stature in Ronaldo’s absence, as demonstrated when he took the penalty against Uruguay. Some supporters suggest that Fernandes wants to be the most important player, which he isn’t when Ronaldo plays. However, there’s more merit in the argument that players are forced to compromise when the 37-year-old is leading the attack.
It felt like United’s players were inclined to make wrong decisions last season, perhaps overawed by Ronaldo, someone they might have idolized growing up, demanding the ball when there were better options around him. Fernandes might have previously switched the ball wide or created an opportunity for himself instead of passing centrally to Ronaldo. It will be interesting to see whether Fernandes improves in the final third following Ronaldo’s departure.
Fernandes seems to be playing some of his best football at the World Cup. He has been outstanding for Portugal, effortlessly orchestrating their midfield in both matches, and Erik ten Hag would appreciate it if he could return in that form. The truth about whether Ronaldo was hindering Fernandes should also be confirmed when the Premier League returns.
Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix will look to take another step out of the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo when Portugal faces Morocco tomorrow. Ahead of their quarter-final, Ronaldo remains a hot topic in Qatar. The Portuguese Football Federation recently denied a report that Ronaldo threatened to leave the World Cup after being benched for the win over Switzerland.
Ronaldo tweeted, “A group too close to be broken by outside forces. A nation too brave to let itself be frightened by any adversary. A team in the truest sense of the word, which will fight for the dream until the end. Believe with us.” With Ronaldo now seemingly relegated to a supporting role, Portugal looks ready to move on without him, and both Fernandes and Felix seem liberated.
Alongside hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos, who is expected to keep his place against Morocco, Felix and Fernandes starred in the 6-1 victory over Switzerland. Portugal head coach Fernando Santos has spoken of his desire to have “fluidity” in attack, and Felix and Fernandes bring just that. They both play out wide but drift inside to find space and are given the freedom to cause problems.
Fernandes is enjoying a dream World Cup and has established himself as Portugal’s main man. He has been directly involved in five goals, the most by a Portuguese player at a World Cup since Eusebio and Jose Torres in 1966. If Portugal is to navigate their way past Morocco and into a semi-final with England or France, then the Manchester United midfielder is likely to be key. Felix will play a crucial role, too. He has fallen out of favor at Atletico Madrid, clashing with manager Diego Simeone over the team’s style.
For Portugal, it is a different story, and his two assists against Switzerland showed why clubs will be queuing up to sign him in January after he was put up for sale. There is plenty of intrigue around where Ronaldo will move next, but the race for Felix is just as interesting and will be far more competitive.
With Felix and Fernandes in full flow, Portugal is one of the best attacking teams left in the tournament, with Bernardo Silva further evidence of their quality. Standing in their way tomorrow is the best defense at this World Cup. Morocco has conceded just one goal in four matches so far — an own-goal from defender Nayef Aguerd — and they impressively shut out Spain before beating them on penalties in the last 16.
Head coach Walid Regragui was only hired in August and has proved the doubters wrong, becoming the first African coach to lead a country to the quarter-finals of a World Cup. Against Spain, his side had just 23 percent possession. “We had agreed not to take possession — not out of fear,” Regragui said. “We are humble enough to say that we are not yet France, Germany, or England, to compete with them in terms of possession.”
Morocco will employ a similar strategy against Portugal and try to hit them on the counter. They boast a dangerous attack, with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech inspired and Sofiane Boufal looking unrecognizable from the player who flopped at Southampton. Regragui insists he is no magician, but Morocco’s run to the last eight has been one of the stories of this tournament. They now have the chance to become the first African side to reach the semi-finals. Regragui, though, is aiming higher. “Why not dream about winning the World Cup?” he said. “As African teams, we need to set this objective.”
Source: AFP via Getty Images
