Bruno Fernandes described his time playing with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United as a "dream come true" after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner left the club by mutual consent.
Ronaldo's United departure appeared inevitable after he gave a bombshell interview to Piers Morgan, in which he said the club had "betrayed" him and declared he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag.
Having committed to taking "appropriate steps" against Ronaldo, United confirmed on Tuesday they had severed ties with the forward with immediate effect.
As Fernandes prepares to team up with Ronaldo for Portugal's World Cup opener against Ghana on Thursday, the attacking midfielder said he will cherish their time spent together at Old Trafford.
Asked whether speculation concerning Ronaldo's future had affected him, Fernandes said: "I don't feel uncomfortable. I don't have to pick a side. It was a privilege, to play at the club with Cristiano was a dream.
"Cristiano has always been an inspiration for me, so it was a dream come true to be able to play with him at the club, but we know that nothing lasts forever.
"It was great for me and good while it lasted. Cristiano took a different decision for his life and his decision has to be respected, regardless of us agreeing or not.
"We are players, but we're also parents, brothers, we know it might be difficult to take these decisions but they have to be for the wellness of ourselves and our families."
Fernandes also insists he has not discussed Ronaldo's next steps with him, adding: "Cristiano hasn't discussed with me, it's his decision, a personal decision and it should pertain to him and his family, that's for sure.
"We haven't discussed the topic, we are focused on the national team, the World Cup. You know how important playing for the national team is for Cristiano.
"That's a dream for a player, winning the World Cup, and it's a competition where every player wants to play.
"Our focus is 100 per cent on the national team, we are aware of what we have to do. I don't believe that what he's done or decided will have any impact on the national team."
Last week, onlookers speculated that an awkward handshake between Ronaldo and Fernandes demonstrated discontent between the duo, though Joao Mario later insisted it was the result of a joke after Fernandes arrived late for Portugal's pre-tournament camp.
Fernandes repeated Joao Mario's explanation on Wednesday, adding: "It was a joke. When you take regular flights – these things happen!
"I wasn't worried about knowing his future at that moment. If it weren't for this news, something else would happen.
"When you have to talk, you talk about those who make the most noise, and Cristiano is the one who makes the most noise in the world of football."
Ghana coach Otto Addo, meanwhile, was in no mood to allow Ronaldo's United departure to overshadow his own team's World Cup preparations.
"I don't know and I honestly don't care. It's not our problem," Addo said when asked about Ronaldo. "I don't think it will be a distraction. Everyone wants to win, it's a big game, it's the World Cup."
Expanded competitions threaten well-being of ‘pushed to limit’ players – report
The expanded Champions League and Club World Cup pose a threat to the well-being of players who are already being “pushed to the limit” in the current calendar, according to a new report.
The men’s Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) report for the 2022-23 season from world players’ union FIFPRO has projected that changes to both competitions from the 2024-25 season could lead to an 11 per cent increase in the number of matches top players are involved in.
It looked at the example of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota, whose 64 games for club and country in 2021-22 could rise to 72 in 2024-25.
The new 36-team Champions League would involve a team playing up to 17 matches from the league phase through to the final – four more than the current 13.
The new 32-team Club World Cup, due to be played every four years from the summer of 2025 onwards, could involve seven extra matches for the teams reaching the final.
The tournament has the backing of the European Club Association, but the World Leagues Forum – currently chaired by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters – is opposed to the plans.
The PWM report said: “The Club World Cup is expected to take place in June-July, which is just after the end of the long club season for the majority of participants.
“This will undoubtedly further decrease the off-season rest period for many players and raise concerns about their ability to fully recover in time for the new season. In addition, high travel load will also be associated to the tournament.
“The reforms of the two major tournaments will ultimately increase the number of games played by top players who could conceivably feature in both.
“This poses a threat to the well-being of players who are already pushed to their limit with the current international match calendar.”
The report found Manchester United and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes played 74 per cent of his matches ‘back to back’ – without a gap of at least five days in between, including 20 consecutive back-to-back matches.
Chelsea’s January recruit Enzo Fernandez played 70 per cent of his matches back to back.
That was despite the midfielder having no off-season rest at all last summer, having played a first friendly for Benfica just eight days after competing in the Copa Libertadores for Argentinian club River Plate.
He also only had a nine-day break between featuring in the World Cup final for Argentina and reporting back for club duty.
The report also compared the workload of young players from the current generation to their predecessors.
It found England midfielder Jude Bellingham has already played 14,445 minutes in his professional career before the age of 20, while Wayne Rooney had only played 10,989 minutes before his 20th birthday.
FIFA and Budweiser agree new deal despite alcohol ban at World Cup in Qatar
FIFA has struck a new deal with Budweiser despite banning the product from sale at World Cup venues in Qatar last year.
The new agreement with ABInBev, the company which owns the brand, makes the product the official beer of this summer’s Women’s World Cup and the men’s World Cup in 2026.
FIFA pulled plans to sell Budweiser, except for the alcohol-free Bud Zero, within stadium perimeters in Qatar on the eve of the finals last November. It was reported at the time that FIFA had come under pressure from Qatar’s royal family, in a country where the consumption and purchase of alcohol is severely restricted.
A tweet from Budweiser at the time of FIFA’s decision, which was quickly deleted, read: “Well, this is awkward.”
It was reported last year that the company would seek a reduction of around £38million on its next deal in light of the move.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on the eve of the World Cup last year: “Partners are partners in good and bad times, in difficult and easy times.
“When times are more tense, the partnership gets stronger. I am very grateful
to Budweiser for the co-operation we have had in the last years, and last couple of weeks.”
The company took the decision to ship the beer it was unable to sell in Qatar to the winning country.
Marcel Marcondes, chief marketing officer at ABInBev, commenting on the new deal, said: “Cheering and celebrating over a beer is a part of the experience for billions of football fans.
“We’re proud to continue offering new, meaningful ways to engage with fans and give unrivalled, immersive experiences that connect them to the sport that they love.”
Jarrod Bowen: From Hereford and Hull to West Ham’s humble European hero
It has been quite a few weeks for Jarrod Bowen – the family man and England international who welcomed twin daughters into the world last month before delivering Europa League Conference success for West Ham.
Described by his first boss as a “manager’s dream”, Bowen’s last-minute winner in a closely-fought final against Fiorentina on Wednesday night provided an unforgettable end to West Ham’s 43-year wait for a major trophy.
The 26-year-old, whose partner is reality TV star Dani Dyer, has a down-to-earth demeanour which has seen him become a firm favourite among team-mates and the club’s supporters since he relocated to London in 2020.
“The best moment of my career” was how Bowen summed up the 90th minute at Prague’s Fortuna Arena when he latched on to a through-ball and beat the press to run in on goal and finish coolly to clinch a 2-1 victory and get manager David Moyes dancing.
Exactly a year earlier, the former Hereford and Hull player had come off the bench for England in their Nations League draw away to Germany.
It was his second cap in a number of days following a first international call-up after a fine season for the Hammers.
The World Cup was in sight for a man who had never been capped at any age-group level, but it was not to be, another career setback that Bowen would use as fuel to keep moving forward.
“I am disappointed I didn’t go to the World Cup, but three years ago I was playing for Hull City in the Championship. You have to look at it in different ways,” he said after missing the cut for Qatar.
“It’s about your mindset and the person you are to keep going and know what you can do. It’s just been about keeping going, never hide from it, never slump and keep always looking forward.”
Bowen featured in every Premier League game for West Ham this season, struggling, as much of the team did, in the early stages of the campaign.
But this is a forward fired up by unsuccessful trials at Aston Villa and Cardiff, determined to prove he is still worth being in the conversation when Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland pick their next England squad.
Peter Beadle worked with Bowen in the Hereford academy and took him along for the ride when he was appointed manager of the first team. Bowen’s rise to European trophy success will not have come as a shock to his old boss.
“He’s done nothing but go from strength to strength since and I’m not surprised one bit,” he told West Ham’s website when Bowen completed his move to the London Stadium in 2020.
“He’s a very humble human being. He comes from a very strong footballing background with his dad and he’s had a great upbringing. He’s honest and hard-working – a manager’s dream really.”
Last month Bowen announced the arrival of twin daughters with his partner Dyer, whose actor father Danny Dyer would have been just as jubilant when he saw Bowen run through on Wednesday night to win a trophy for his beloved Hammers.
Bowen is one of the most popular members of the West Ham dressing room but one of its quieter players.
However, actions spoke far louder than words when he tucked home past Pietro Terracciano to secure his place as a West Ham hero.
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