A surprising twist came from the top, as FIFA President Gianni Infantino hinted at the possibility of the Portuguese star featuring in the tournament under different colours.

The 38-year-old Ronaldo apologised to fans as he confirmed he was struggling with a fitness issue.

"If you love Cristiano Ronaldo, you don’t have to hate (Lionel) Messi. We have both changed the history of world football,” Ronaldo said during an interview during with Record, a Portuguese newspaper.