sport news World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo Man United bombshell causes headache for Portugal trends now
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes have both worn the captain's armband for Manchester United this season but treated the honour very differently.
The big question is whether Portugal's World Cup hopes are damaged by any fall-out.
Whereas Ronaldo responded to being skipper at Aston Villa by saying in an interview he felt 'betrayed' by the club, Fernandes has been a leading light in the Erik ten Hag revolution and has regularly stood in for Harry Maguire as team captain.
Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo already had a complex relationship but things could well have taken a turn for the worse after Ronaldo's bombshell interview at the weekend
The pair now head to the World Cup with Portugal and it promises to be a tense time in Qatar
No wonder there was a frosty exchange between them inside the Portuguese dressing-room as they met up for the first time in the build-up to Qatar.
Fernandes could hardly bring himself to shake the hand of 37-year-old Ronaldo, possibly feeling betrayed himself by the latest public revelations. Claims from team-mates that it was a joke between the pair aren't persuasive judging by the footage.
The pair have always had a complex relationship. Bruno was the king of Sporting Lisbon but often found himself overshadowed by Ronaldo's superstar presence with the national team.
They were never close friends and it was noticeable that when Ronaldo rejoined United in 2021, Bruno's previously excellent form tailed off.
It's only since Ten Hag has marginalised Ronaldo that the playmaker has become a major influencer again.
Fernandes (right) walked into the Portugal dressing room and looked to avoid Ronaldo (left)
The Portugal captain (left) wanted to greet his club and international team-mate, however
Fernandes (right) duly accepted Ronaldo's (left) offer of a handshake before saying something that left the recalcitrant forward looking mildly baffled
It's a conundrum for Portugal's experienced manager Fernando Santos, who would ordinarily see Bruno's creativity combined with Ronaldo's mastery up front as their best route to becoming world champions.
He will desperately want club business to be left at the door when they arrive in Qatar.
In a tough group featuring Uruguay, South Korea and Ghana, Portugal need to start well in the opening fixture against the Africans on November 24.
There is a worry inside the camp that the Ronaldo interview could derail their chances.
At the last World Cup in Russia, Ronaldo was arguably the world's best player and Fernandes a rookie from Sporting Lisbon with only six previous caps. He hadn't been part
