Cristiano Ronaldo has been ruled out of Portugal’s only warm-up friendly before the start of the World Cup with a stomach bug.
Portugal face Nigeria in Lisbon on Thursday night before traveling to Qatar, with the squad assembled at the national team facilities earlier in the week.
Ronaldo trained as usual on Monday and Tuesday but was absent on Wednesday.
“Ronaldo has gastritis and did not train today to recover and rest,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said after the session. “It’s a condition that doesn’t help much, because it affects the players a lot, they lose a lot of fluid, they get weaker. He won’t be ready for it. [Thursday]Indeed.”
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Santos was asked to confirm that Ronaldo is indeed ill and that his absence has nothing to do with the outcome of his controversial interview which is being released in two parts this week.
“If it was any other player, we wouldn’t have questioned it but yes, he really has gastritis and is not fit to play,” Santos said.
“What I am interested in is what is being said in our camp and not what is being said outside. We have to respect his decision. He does not talk about the national team, it is a It’s a very personal interview, and we have to do it. Respectfully, I haven’t seen anyone in the national team commenting on this matter.
“He talks about his club and his relationship with the club. It doesn’t affect the national team.”
In Group H, Portugal are among the last nations to start their World Cup and will play Ghana in their tournament opener on November 24.