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Portugal coach breaks silence on benching Ronaldo

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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, third from right, sits on the bench during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Portugal and Switzerland, at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cristiano Ronaldo was a solitary figure as he walked off the field following a World Cup match in which he was not the center of attention.

He'd come off the bench in a 6-1 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday that moved Portugal into the quarterfinals. Ronaldo's 21-year-old replacement scored a hat trick in the win - a performance sure to raise questions over Ronaldo's future with his national team.

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By AFP 3 hrs ago
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