Ronaldo 'insulted' by S. Korea player, coach says

AL RAYYAN, Qatar -- Cristiano Ronaldo was "insulted" by South Korea subordinate Cho Gue-sung arsenic helium near the pitch, according to Fernando Santos, arsenic the Portugal manager sought to support the striker's frustrated absorption to being substituted.

Ronaldo appeared to person a verbal speech with Cho arsenic helium walked towards the benches and past enactment his digit to his mouth.

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The 37-year-old looked unhappy astatine the determination to bring him disconnected successful the 65th infinitesimal but aft the 2-1 decision which sent South Korea into the past 16, Santos insisted it was his enactment with Cho that had made the erstwhile Manchester United guardant "angry".

"The subordinate from Korea was insulting him telling him to spell away, truthful that is the crushed wherefore helium was angry, everyone saw that," said Santos.

"I saw the enactment with the Korea subordinate and I don't person immoderate doubts astir it and if you spot the images you spot Pepe went towards the Korea player.

"He was not aggressive, helium was lone verbally aggressive, helium was speaking successful English to Cristiano, and Cristiano said, 'Perhaps helium had a atrocious day.'"

Portugal inactive finished apical of Group H contempt conceding a 91st-minute victor to Hwang Hee-chan which saw South Korea borderline retired Uruguay for a spot successful the knockout rounds.

Santos' squad are acceptable to look the second-place squad from Group H -- astir apt Switzerland, Serbia oregon Cameroon -- but helium insisted decision to South Korea should service arsenic a "warning" to his squad.

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"We are somewhat upset," Santos added.

"We are archetypal successful the group, but we wanted to triumph and person a amended crippled to summation the morale of the players. But this effect serves arsenic a informing to our team."

Meanwhile, South Korea are acceptable to look Brazil aft qualifying for the 2nd circular for the archetypal clip since 2010.

They were heading retired until Hwang's melodramatic victor which saw them suffice connected goals scored up of Uruguay, who exit the World Cup contempt beating Ghana 2-0.

"Before the lucifer Son Heung-min told maine I was going to make thing today," said Hwang.

"He said, 'We spot you.' When I went connected arsenic a substitute a batch of squad mates besides said they trusted me. When Son got the shot I was convinced helium would walk to maine and it was an fantabulous pass. It made my occupation easy.

"It was hard waiting for the different effect but we proved we could marque it to knockout signifier and we kept that trust. This is thing we wanted and we expected. I privation to stock these large feelings with the Korean radical backmost home."