Portugal international Jose Fonte has claimed that Fernando Santos' side play "more as a team" without Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch.
Ronaldo was dropped to the bench for the Round of 16 victory over Switzerland, with Santos less than pleased with the 37-year-old's reaction to being substituted during Portugal's World Cup group stage defeat to South Korea.
The veteran frontman was named among the substitutes on Tuesday night, but came on late in the clash as the European side secured a 6-1 victory over Murat Yakin's men to set up a quarter-final clash with Morocco.
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Fonte, who was part of the Portugal side which beat France to win Euro 2016, missed out on a call up to the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but has been watching the tournament in the Middle East with interest. The former Southampton and West Ham man suggested that 'everyone contributed' when Ronaldo was out of the side.
"Portugal have the quality to do this in every game, but we have to be honest - just his presence on the field makes the players of the national team unconsciously and automatically have to play for him and always give him the ball," Fonte said, according to A Bola (as per The Mail ).
"For being who he is, for what he has done and what he is still capable of doing. When he is not there, Portugal plays more as a team and that was seen (against Switzerland). They played fluidly, without a single focal point, everyone contributed and it was beautiful to see."
Goncalo Ramos, who started in place of Ronaldo, scored a hat-trick against Switzerland. The 21-year-old forward only made his senior international debut this year, but continued in the same vein of form that he was in for Benfica prior to the break in the domestic campaign.
Former United man Ronaldo has scored just once at the World Cup so far, which came in the opening game of the tournament against Ghana.
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