DOHA, Qatar (AP) 鈥 These really are pinch-yourself times for Morocco: A first-ever spot in the quarterfinals of a World Cup 鈥 the first to take place in the Arab world, no less 鈥 and now a meeting with Portugal and its superstar striker, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Well, maybe.
Because has again managed to steal the spotlight in his inimitable way, even bumping Morocco鈥檚 historic run to the last eight off the top of the agenda before Saturday鈥檚 narrative-laden match.
Will he start, or won鈥檛 he? That鈥檚 the big question being asked about Ronaldo after he was dropped by Portugal coach Fernando Santos for the in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
Not only was the five-time world player of the year relegated to the bench, his replacement 鈥 21-year-old 鈥 scored a hat trick to leave Santos with quite the selection dilemma against Morocco.
鈥淚 hope he won鈥檛 (play),鈥 Morocco coach Walid Regragui said Friday of Ronaldo. 鈥淎s a coach I know he鈥檚 one of the best players in history and so I鈥檇 be delighted if he didn鈥檛 play.鈥
The announcement of about 90 minutes before the game at Al Thumama Stadium is keenly awaited as Ronaldo prepares to play in the quarterfinals of the World Cup for just the second time in his glittering career.
Santos declined to share selection thoughts Friday for what he said would be a different kind of game to the one against Switzerland, while noting that 鈥90% of the questions鈥 are about Ronaldo at Portugal's pregame news conferences.
One inevitable question Santos faced was about reports in national media that Ronaldo threatened to leave the World Cup after being told he was benched. .
鈥淗e has never told me that he wanted to leave the national team,鈥 Santos said through an interpreter. "Cristiano obviously wasn't very happy about it. He told me 鈥楧o you really think it鈥檚 a good idea?鈥欌
Portugal is at this stage for only the third time after 1966 and 2006, perhaps surprising given the talent to have come from the country down the years.
Four years ago, Portugal lost in the round of 16 to Uruguay, though was 鈥減ossibly the most difficult match鈥 the team faced, Santos said Friday.
鈥淲e won 1-0 but we had to suffer a lot to win that match,鈥 he said. "My players know that.鈥
As for Morocco, the nation is in uncharted territory after becoming only the fourth African country to reach the quarterfinals at soccer鈥檚 biggest tournament, after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010). None of them reached the semifinals.
Morocco is also the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the last eight in Qatar.
The team's in the last 16 sparked not just among its many fans in Qatar and at home.
The excitement extended to the Moroccan diaspora of around 5 million people spread mostly around Europe, which has united behind the World Cup run of the team nicknamed the 鈥淎tlas Lions.鈥
Morocco fans poured into the streets of European cities to celebrate the team鈥檚 passage to the quarterfinals, which came after Morocco advanced from a group containing second-ranked Belgium and 2018 runner-up Croatia.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 got carried away by the euphoria," Regragui said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e just surprised a few people and surprised a few algorithms who expected Belgium to get through ... and expected Spain to get through. We are not satisfied with where we have come so far."
Regragui, who was born in France, and 14 of the 26 players in the squad were born abroad 鈥 the highest proportion for any team at a World Cup being held in the Middle East for the first time in the tournament's 92-year history.
The Arab world鈥檚 standard bearer, Morocco is in the quarterfinals on merit, too. The team has only conceded one goal 鈥 and that was an own-goal against Canada 鈥 and is proving so well-organized, with a sturdy back four headlined by , a dedicated midfield anchored by Sofyan Amrabat, two mercurial wingers in Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal, and a striker in Youssef En-Nesyri, who occupies defenses with his relentless work rate.
Three key players might be struggling to be healthy enough to play against Portugal, though. Amrabat said he played with a back injury requiring painkilling injections in the match against Spain, during which captain Romain Saiss finished the game with his leg bandaged up after treatment, and fellow center back Nayef Aguerd hobbled off in tears with an apparent thigh injury.
鈥淵es, they are tired, yes, we have injuries. We are not going to hide it and we are not going to complain," Regragui said. "We are here on a mission."
Portugal doesn't appear to have such problems, with Santos' squad depth so impressive that he could afford to leave players like Ronaldo, Jo茫o Cancelo and R煤ben Neves on the bench against Switzerland after they started every group game.
Even if he is among the substitutes again, Ronaldo 鈥 playing in what is likely his last World Cup 鈥 is expected to see some time on the field. Given the drama constantly surrounding him, he's sure to be a talking point whatever happens.
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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.
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