Turkish President Erdogan has spoken out about Portugal's 37-year-old forward Cristiano Ronaldo, saying he supports the Palestinian liberation movement.
"They have wasted Ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him. Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an event with youth in eastern Erzurum province.
"Ronaldo is someone who stands for the Palestinian cause," he added.
In the World Cup playoffs, Ronaldo remained on the Portuguese bench, taking to the field in the second half.
In the 1/8 finals, Portugal defeated Switzerland 6-1 and lost to Morocco 0-1 in the quarterfinals.
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