Absence of Cristiano Ronaldo shares views with the Dragon Stadium

Abefore the reception to Norway, on the fourth day of the A4 Group of the League of Football Nations, Ronaldo's name was still present in the conversations of the supporters in the vicinity of the venue, although the 41-year-old advance was no longer among the options.

João Ferreira, 23, arrived from Vila Nova de Gaia in a sweater with number seven and did not hide the disappointment. He bought the note a few weeks ago and seeing Ronaldo was one of the main reasons he was in the Dragon.

“It’s sad, because I bought the ticket to see it too. We know you're not gonna play forever, and every opportunity can be one of the last. I don’t know exactly what happened in there, but I find it hard to accept that such a story could end like this,” Lusa said.

The young adept considers that the selectioner Jorge Jesus could have otherwise managed the situation, although he acknowledges that “the coach must choose who plays”.

A few meters later, Paul and Carla Moreira, 47 and 45 years old, respectively, had left Maia with different opinions about the controversy that marked the last days of the selection.

“ For me, the coach is the boss. Cristiano can no longer give what he gave five or 10 years ago and it is normal that, at 41, he does not always play. If the coach understands that there are others in better conditions, he must decide without looking at the name ", defended Paulo.

On the side, Carla accepted the principle, but did not hide more sympathy for the Portuguese captain's position.

“Of course no player can decide when to play, but we are also talking about Cristiano Ronaldo. You've given the selection a lot for over 20 years and I think that deserves some care. I would like both of them to talk and not to end this way,” he said.

The difference of ideas between the couple ended with the shared certainty that, inside the stadium, both will support Portugal, regardless of who is in the field.

On the other hand, 66-year-old António Silva, from Gondomar, prefers to separate the legacy from the advanced one from the episode that led to his departure from concentration before the triumph in Denmark.

“ For me, he's the best Portuguese player ever, and nobody erases what he did. It gave us joys we'll never forget. But everything has its time”, he started by saying.

With several decades following the selection, António understands that Ronaldo will have to accept progressively a different role.

“A player, whoever he is, can never outperform the interests of the team. If the coach thinks he should stay in the bank, he has to take it. Cristiano already did a lot for Portugal, but the selection will continue after him, as continued after Eusébio, Figo and many others ", added.

Between the admiration for the captain and the defense of the authority of the selector, the opinion crossed with the Dragon, but converged when the conversation returned to the game.

“Today I want Portugal to win. The rest, Cristiano and Jorge Jesus who solve later ", shot António Silva, before entering the stadium.