Istafa Ali
Cristiano Ronaldo missed Portugal’s match against Sweden, the first time in 17 years that another player wore the No 7 jersey in a historic shift.
It was an uncharacteristically vacated by Ronaldo that gave Bruma a chance to illustrate that he can be of use and scored just 11 minutes after replacing Leao.
The 29-year-old scored twice, while another was netted by one of his fellow group members as they registered a 4-0 win against Sweden to put an end to the jinx of firing blanks in international matches that had lasted for over four months since October last. In the absence of Ronaldo, Portugal turned out to be superior against Sweden, 5-2 in favor of Portugal during the first game of the year. This reflects on the strength and capability of the former to fight back not only in the dimension of replacing its old hero but also in the cherished handiness over it.
Senior players, among them Ronaldo, were picked to be part of his 23-man roster but rested with the others in the first match. During that break, Cristiano Ronaldo traveled with his family to Saudi Arabia. He should, therefore, be returning to Portugal the next time that the national team is scheduled to play. With Portugal moving on, the signaling role of Ronaldo in a transition with the national team, but the emblematic striker is standing as firm as he has made it clear on his loyalty to the country and the best player in the national football team until the next European Championship in 2024
