Cristiano Ronaldo trains with Portugal for first time in Qatar ahead World Cup opener against Ghana
Cristiano Ronaldo trains with Portugal first time ahead of Thursday World Cup opener against Ghana. The African side beat Switzerland in their final Pre-World Cup friendly and head into facing Portugal who also defeated Nigeria 4-0 in their last preparations to Qatar 2022.
The 37-year-old arrived in Doha on Friday and took to the field to train with his teammate following a bout with gastroenteritis.
On Saturday, a day after landing in the host nation, Ronaldo resumed training with Portugal, marking the team’s first collective training session since arriving in Doha.
Portugal, drawn into Group H, plays Ghana on Thursday; they play Uruguay on November 28 and South Korea on December 2.
Approaching his fifth World Cup appearance, this could be Ronaldo’s last as the Portuguese captain has repeatedly hinted at retirement in recent years.
Portugal’s best World Cup finish came in 1966 when the national squad claimed third place in England. They have not made it to the quarter-finals since the 2006 World Cup in Germany when they captured fourth place.
CR7 faces uncertain future in club football
Cristiano Ronaldo will never play for Man Utd again after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan this week – with Old Trafford bosses ready to sack the Portuguese superstar.
Manchester United have begun the process of sacking Cristiano Ronaldo following his bombshell interview in which he slammed the club.
United have been taking legal advice and it is understood lawyers have told them they have grounds to terminate Ronaldo’s deal for breach of contract.
In his explosive interview on TalkTV, Ronaldo accused United’s hierarchy of trying to force him out and claimed he had no respect for boss Erik ten Hag.
United are confident they have grounds for cancelling Ronaldo’s deal, which has six months left to run, for bringing the club into disrepute.
Ronaldo and his representatives are certain to take legal action to counter United’s move, which will cost the 37-year-old superstar around £16million in lost wages.
United issued a statement which read: “Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo ’s recent media interview. We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.”
Although United would not expand on what constitutes “appropriate steps”, sources have indicated that they are looking to impose the ultimate sanction on Ronaldo.
Among the many controversial comments made in his interview, Ronaldo claimed there had been “zero progress” at United since he left them for Real Madrid in 2009.
United’s hierarchy, comprising owner Joel Glazer, chief executive Richard Arnold, football director John Murtough and boss Ten Hag have been locked in talks over how to deal with Ronaldo in the wake of his interview, in which he claimed the club “betrayed” him.
After taking such a hardline stance on Ronaldo when he refused to come on against Tottenham and left Old Trafford before the final whistle in United’s 2-0 win, Ten Hag has told bosses there is no way the 37-year-old can play for him again.
United’s players do not expect to see Ronaldo again after the World Cup, with the squad having grown tired of his whining and posturing over his perceived mistreatment, according to sources.
After refusing to come off the bench against Spurs, Ronaldo was left out of United’s squad for their Premier League trip to Chelsea last month as punishment, with Ten Hag claiming he had to take such action to maintain discipline within his squad.
Although Ronaldo took to Instagram to offer a semi-apology for refusing to come on against Spurs, blaming it on “the heat of the moment”, his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan has ended any hope of him being welcomed back into the United fold.
United issued a response in the wake of Ronaldo’s interview, stating the club “will consider its response after the full facts have been established” – with the termination of the superstar’s deal now their only course of action.
