Joao Felix has insisted that Portugal 's tactics at the World Cup won't change - with or without Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 37-year-old superstar was controversially benched by manager Fernando Santos for their last-16 tie against Switzerland on Tuesday after the Portuguese boss took issue with how his captain reacted to being substituted in their previous match. It proved to be the right decision, as Ronaldo's replacement, Goncalo Ramos, scored a sublime hat-trick in a resounding 5-1 victory.
Ramos lead the line far more effectively than Ronaldo had done during the group stage, as Portugal showed off an attractive brand of football in the emphatic win. Now Santos faces the conundrum again ahead of Saturday's quarter-final clash with Morocco, but one of his other forwards, Felix, doesn't think that Portugal will change their approach if Ronaldo was to return.
"It depends if he's a starter or a substitute, the tactics are the same for all the games," the Atletico Madrid star, 23, affirmed. "Then he has qualities as an individual footballer. But we always have the same identity in the games."
Sat alongside Felix at a pre-match press conference on Friday was none other than Santos, who revealed exactly how he'd informed the unhappy Ronaldo that he was being dropped. "I talked to him after lunch on the match day ahead of the Switzerland game. I did not have any conversation before that," the 68-year-old candidly began in a lengthy explanation.
"It was the only conversation I had with him on that day and I explained to him why he would not be playing. I explained why he wouldn't be started. I did it so he wouldn't be surprised."
Expected starter Felix was further quizzed on how Ronaldo's presence impacts his own game, with suggestions swirling that he feels the need to pass to the now former Manchester United striker whenever the pair on the pitch. "I don't feel [an] obligation to pass the ball to Cristiano," the ex- Benfica starlet stated.
"We always try to find the best solution, but everyone has their own opinion. For my part, I don't feel that pressure to always pass the ball to him. When he's giving things that others don't. If he's on the pitch, we play differently because he brings things to the game. It is not by playing or not playing that the team will play better or worse."
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As for Felix himself, he's been tipped to replace Ronaldo at United in the January transfer window. However, it seems that Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag will be forced to wait until after Portugal's World Cup campaign comes to an end before making a start on any negotiations with the player.
"I am focused on the World Cup," Felix added, having been made available by Atletico after his relationship with manager Diego Simeone turning sour. "100 percent on the World Cup and having a great World Cup. We are thinking of having a great tournament and on the Portuguese. I will talk about Atletico when the World Cup is over."
