Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from Portugal’s friendly against Mexico and the USMNT not only left fans disappointed not to see him in action, but also led to manager Jos Mourinho making another controversial statement.
After a 0-0 draw at the Estadio Azteca (Banorte), ahead of the game against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Benfica’s current manager did not hesitate to highlight the influence the 41-year-old Portuguese star has had on his team.
Mourinho slams Portugal and praises CR7
Both Portugal and Mexico had their moments of brilliance during the match, but neither was able to capitalize on their opportunities to seal the victory.
The match itself was a draw, as attention was already focused on CR7’s possible presence. Despite being absent due to a hamstring injury, the match featured star players such as Bruno Fernandes, Joe Cancelo and Vicinha, and also marked the reopening of the legendary Azteca Stadium, now known as Banorte Stadium.
However, the match ended scoreless, leaving a strange atmosphere in which Mexico, although ranked 15th in the FIFA rankings, made a good impression against a team ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings. However, the crowd was not satisfied with the result and made their dissatisfaction clear through booing. And Mourinho wasn’t happy either.
After the match, the 63-year-old coach did not sugarcoat the situation and did not hesitate to express his dissatisfaction with Portugal’s tactics and performance on the field. He also emphasized the fundamental role of CR7, whose absence made it clear that it was difficult for the team to maintain the same competitive level without their star players.
“Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal look like an ordinary team,” he said frankly. “People keep asking us not to call him up. Well, he didn’t play today, but you see the result. There’s no threat from the opponent, there’s no fear. It’s just the team being put under pressure by Mexico,” he declared (from GOAL).
Mourinho added: “When Ronaldo is on the pitch, the opponents think a lot. Without him, they don’t think at all.”
The truth is that Mourinho’s words are not a coincidence, but come from his experience coaching Cristiano. During their three seasons together, they turned Real Madrid into a competitive machine. Together they won the La Liga title (a 100-point season), the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. Furthermore, under Mourinho’s leadership, Cristiano achieved stratospheric goalscoring numbers, scoring 120 goals in just 106 games.
Since making his debut for the Portuguese national team in 2003, ‘Bicho’ has become an iconic figure for the team, not only for his goalscoring ability but also for his leadership and influence in decisive moments, including in his role as captain. However, the team’s reliance on CR7 could lead to structural issues down the road if he decides to hang up his cleats.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is scheduled to return to the field for Al Nasr’s match against Al Najma SC in the Saudi Pro League on April 3rd, and will miss the match against the USMNT scheduled for 7:30 pm ET at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 31st, but Ronaldo and Portugal are hoping to have him appear in his sixth World Cup and bring home the trophy for the first time.
