'Today is for Portugal!' - Ronaldo issues World Cup rallying cry amid calls for Santos to drop under-fire striker

Last updated 22/02/2023

17:23 06/12/2022

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Cristiano Ronaldo has delivered a rousing rallying cry ahead of Portugal’s last-16 encounter with Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup.

Portuguese into the last-16 at Qatar 2022
Set to face Switzerland in first knockout round
Talismanic captain eager to figure from the off

WHAT HAPPENED? The legendary frontman, who is the all-time leading goalscorer in the history of men’s international football, is hoping to figure for his country again in a crucial clash on Qatari soil. There have been calls for Fernando Santos to drop his captain against the Swiss following an outburst that accompanied being substituted in a final group stage outing against South Korea, but Ronaldo is raring to go.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo’s pre-game post on Instagram reads: “Today is for Portugal! For the Portuguese! For us and for ours! Today is for all the dreams that we carry in each one of us! Let's do everything.”

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WHAT NEXT? Portugal tumbled out of the 2018 World Cup in the round of 16, as they did in 2010, but Ronaldo and Co are determined to remain in the hunt for global glory this time around as they seek to book a quarter-final berth for just the third time in the nation’s history.

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