Former England defender Stuart Pearce has backed Fernando Santos' decision to rest Cristiano Ronaldo against Switzerland in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The decision irritated the Portuguese forward, who came off the bench in the second half of their 6-1 victory on December 6.
The English icon compared the situation to his decision to bench David Beckham during the 2012 Summer Olympics. He believes that even though the decisions are difficult, they must be made in order to improve the team's performanceOn talkSPORT, Pearce discussed his encounter and conversation with Beckham, saying:
Leaving David Beckham out of the Olympic squad was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make in my managerial career and personal life. I was well aware of that, as well as the clamor from Adidas for him to be included, among other things. You all know whether they do or do not.
Pearce then addressed Ronaldo and the selection:."It was all a side issue to the main issue, which is whether you are good enough to be in the team or not; if someone is in the squad, as they are right now, and we're talking about Cristiano, are you good enough to start the game if we want to win?"
He was added:
If the answer is negative, the player must sit on the bench and wait for the manager to turn around and say, "I'm going to put you on the bench now to affect the game in some shape or form."
Cristiano Ronaldo has denied threatening to quit the FIFA World Cup team.Cristiano Ronaldo has denied claims that he intended to leave the FIFA World Cup team after being substituted against Switzerland.
The former Manchester United forward accused the media of spreading rumors and attempting to divide the championship-contending squad.
Ronaldo has only scored one goal in the FIFA World Cup, which came against Ghana in the first game. When the quarterfinals begin tomorrow, they will face Morocco (December 10).
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