Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a fascinating explanation for why the Portuguese Star Cristiano Ronaldo was benched in Portugal’s final World Cup games in Qatar.
After being benched for the match against Switzerland in the round of 16, Ronaldo’s tournament in Qatar came under fire. He then lost to Morocco in the quarterfinals.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is presently clubless, has had a disappointing season.
His contract with Manchester United was cancelled prior to the World Cup because of the explosive interview he gave to Piers Morgan.
Turkish President Erdogan has now claimed that Ronaldo paid the full price of a political ban. As Al Jazeera reports, Erdogan said that Ronaldo supported the Palestinian cause and thus had to be dropped.
“They have wasted Ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him. Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining in the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy. Ronaldo is someone who stands for the Palestinian cause,”
But despite Erdogan’s claims, Ronaldo has never expressed his support for the Palestinian in the open.
The Israeli-Palestinian dispute has existed since the 20th century, and numerous attempts to resolve it have so far failed.
When Ronaldo was replaced against South Korea, there were rumors that the then-head coach Fernando Santos was not pleased with the player’s outbursts. Later, he acknowledged that his club had plenty of balance even without the talented striker.
As Al-Nassr is rumored to have arranged a medical for the 37-year-old Portugal star, It was also revealed that Ronaldo is getting closer to finalizing his move to Saudi Arabia.
To expedite a deal in January, Al-Nassr have organized a medical exam and reserved lodging for Ronaldo and his advisors.
If the Portuguese actor accepts Al Nasser’s offer, his annual salary would increase to approximately £173 million thanks to image rights and other sponsorships.
