Morocco player, Nordin Amrabat has suggested that the referee was so enamoured with the forward that he overheard him ask Pepe for the winger’s shirt. Amrabat was one of Morocco’s better performers on an afternoon where they will feel they should have at least taken a draw from Fernando Santos’ side. However, the player the not expressly suggest that the referee’s decision were influenced by his admiration of Ronaldo.
“He was very impressed with Cristiano Ronaldo, I heard him ask Pepe at half-time if he could have Ronaldo’s shirt. I don’t know what he normally does, but what are we talking about here? This is the World Cup, this isn’t a circus,” Amrabat said.
Ronaldo fourth minute strike help secure Portugal a 1-0 win against the North Africans side, putting his side in the drivers seat to qualify for the round of 16, while Morocco have been eliminated from the tournament.