Portugal is a better team without Ronaldo.

Not just because of the soap-opera baggage but because he is past his best as a top-level player. He doesn't press, doesn't create goals and there are other players who can finish chances. I'm glad that the Portuguese coach has finally come to the same realisation as Erik Ten Haag. Portugal has gone from a quarter-final-standard team to dark-horse contenders to win the WC precisely because they have dropped their ageing prima-donna.