Cristiano Ronaldo leads a group of NINE Portugal stars silent after Fernando Santos was axed

Cristiano Ronaldo leads a group of ten Portugal players who have remained silent following the sacking of coach Fernando Santos following their dismal World Cup exit to Morocco in the quarter-finals.

Santos was sacked on Thursday following its 1-0 loss to the North African team to cap a tension-filled tournament dominated by Ronaldo, who did not meet face to face with his coach in Qatar amid behavior issues. , before he was ruled out of the knockout games against Switzerland and Morocco.

Now, Portuguese outlets Record and A Bola have documented the division between the team, with ten stars not acknowledging Santos after his sacking, despite leading the team to Euro 2016 glory, as well as the League of Nations. Nations in 2018-19.

Cristiano Ronaldo has led a group of ten players from Portugal who have remained silent after the dismissal of Fernando Santos

Ronaldo endured an icy relationship with Santos after being benched twice in Qatar

Ricardo Horta (L) Joao Cancelo (2L) and Ruben Neves (far right) have not paid tribute either

The other players who have followed Ronaldo in silence are Joao Cancelo, who has also had an uneasy relationship with Santos, Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Diogo Dalot, Antonio Silva, Joao Palhinha, Ruben Neves, Ricardo Horta and Rafael Leao.

It comes just days after Ronaldo’s teammate Georgina Rodríguez criticized Santos for making “the wrong decision” in benching him against the Moroccans.

She wrote on Instagram: ‘Today your friend and coach decided badly. That friend for whom you have so many words of admiration and respect.

‘The same one who, when you got into the game, saw how everything changed, but it was too late. The best player in the world, the most powerful weapon of him, cannot be underestimated.

‘You can’t defend someone who doesn’t deserve it either. Life gives us lessons. Today we have not lost, we have learned.’

The 68-year-old coach led Portugal to its first major tournament success at Euro 2016.

Paulo Fonseca has been tapped to replace Santos, whom the Portuguese federation has thanked for his work since he took over in 2014.

‘It was an honor to have a coach and a person like Fernando Santos leading the team.

‘The FPF thanks Fernando Santos and his technical team for the services provided during eight unique years and believes that this gratitude is also made on behalf of the Portuguese people.

‘The FPF board will now begin the process of choosing the next national coach.’

More to follow.