The Numbers Don’t Lie

When I first saw Cristiano Ronaldo benched for Portugal, my reaction was… crickets. Not because I lack passion (my São Paulo roots ensure otherwise), but because the data has been screaming this move for months.

Here’s what the xG charts show:

• CR7’s pressing intensity dropped 23% this season
• Shot conversion rate at a 7-year low (12.4% vs career avg 18.9%)
• Recovery sprints per 90 down by 5.1 compared to Euro 2020

Tactical Pragmatism 101

That bench isn’t a demotion—it’s chess, not checkers. With two consecutive extra-time matches:

1. Preserves his penalty expertise (91% career conversion)
2. Allows faster wingers to exploit tired defenses late-game
3. Mitigates defensive vulnerabilities in high-press systems

The online meltdown? Pure sentiment over statistics. As someone who models betting odds for living, trust me—Fernando Santos isn’t paid to appease Twitter warriors.

When Legends Evolve

Let’s be intellectually honest: The same fans screaming “disrespect” would riot if his fatigue led to a quarterfinal exit. My pro tip? Save the outrage for when the xG actually justifies it.