The Portuguese coach was praised for leaving Ronaldo as a substitute

"Actually I'm very happy that I don't have to be the Portuguese coach right now. But I am also sad when I see situations like this happening at the biggest football festival on the planet," Meulensteen told talkSPORT on December 8 when was asked about the noise related to Ronaldo in the Portuguese team.

Ronaldo upset Coach Santos when he showed his attitude on the way off the field at the beginning of the second half of the last round of the group stage against Korea. In the 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the round of 16, the 37-year-old striker lost the main kick for junior Goncalo Ramos - who shone when he scored the first hat-trick of the 2022 World Cup.

Meulensteen worked with Ronaldo from January 2007 until the Portuguese striker joined Real for a record fee in the summer of 2009. Meulensteen believes Santos was right when he pushed Ronaldo to the bench to show his authority in the dressing room. thing. "It's a message for all to see who manages the team, and there is no greater player than what Portugal is trying to achieve, which is winning the World Cup," he insisted.

However, the 58-year-old former assistant hopes Ronaldo and coach Santos will have many frank talks to thoroughly solve the problem. "I think Ronaldo still has a certain role, but it has to fit the criteria of Portugal," Meulensteen added.

Meulensteen predicts Ronaldo will continue to not start the quarter-final against Morocco, but he still expects the 37-year-old striker to make a difference if he comes on in the second half. "Who knows. Ronaldo could come on in the last 30 minutes to score the decisive goal and turn the world upside down," Meulensteen predicted.

On December 7, Ronaldo caused controversy when he went to the gym with the main team instead of playing with the substitutes, even though he only came to the field at the end of the match against Switzerland. A day later, Record (Portugal) reported that Ronaldo threatened to abandon the 2022 World Cup campaign and leave Qatar, if not guaranteed a starting spot, when arguing with coach Santos at the team's headquarters. Both the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and Ronaldo immediately denied the incident.

Before the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo was also controversial when he accused Man Utd of betraying, affirming that he did not respect the current coach Erik ten Hag and criticized his predecessor Ralf Rangnick ... in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan. Therefore, the 37-year-old striker was terminated by Man Utd before the expiration of half a year. Spanish newspaper Marca later reported that Ronaldo reached an agreement to join Saudi Arabia Al-Nassr club on a two-and-a-half year contract with $200 million in salary per season. However, Ronaldo has denied this rumor.

While still playing, Meulensteen became a youth team coach at Dutch club NEC Nijmegen. In June 2006, he led Danish club Brondby IF on a three-year contract, but resigned after six months.

Meulensteen worked in the youth team from 2001-2006, the reserve team from 2005 to 2006, before working as an assistant for the first team of Man Utd from 2007. He spent six successful years, helping Sir Alex Ferguson to win the Premier League. England in 2009, 2011, 2013, English Super Cup 2008, 2010, 2011, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup 2008. In June 2013, Meulensteen parted ways with Man Utd when new coach David Moyes brought his own assistant team.

After that, he worked as an assistant to Guus Hiddink at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, led Fulham, Maccabi Haifa, Kerala Blasters and is currently assistant to Graham Arnold in Australia - the team lost 1-2 to Argentina in the 1/8 round of the World Cup. 2022.