The Euro 2016 winners were knocked out of the tournament in a huge shock on Saturday night, losing 1-0 after Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half goal.
The victory was historic for Morocco, which became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
Ronaldo, who was dropped for Portugal’s knockout round of 16 victory over Switzerland, was on the bench again for that defeat and only came on as a substitute early in the second half.
When asked if he regretted not starting Ronaldo, Santos replied: “No, I don’t think so, no regrets.
Achraf Dari of Morocco with Walid Cheddira and his teammates celebrate after the match as Morocco advance to the semi-finals
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Portugal striker #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final
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Argentina players celebrate after winning the Qatar 2022 World Cup quarter-final on penalties
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Brazilian striker No.10 Neymar (R) is consoled by Brazilian striker No.11 Raphinha after their team lost the quarter-final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup
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Moroccan players lift goalkeeper Bono after beating Spain on penalties to reach the quarter-finals for the first time
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Goncalo Ramos celebrates a hat-trick for Portugal in the Round of 16
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Brazilian players pay tribute to Pele after reports of poor health
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Croatia defeat Japan in the first penalty shootout of the 2022 World Cup
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Jude Bellingham relaxes after losing to Senegal
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Aziz Behich is inches away from Australia’s unlikely comeback against Argentina in the Round of 16
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Vincent Aboubakar celebrates a famous Cameroon winner against Brazil
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Luis Suarez stunned as his latest World Cup ends in early exit
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South Korea celebrate Uruguay’s exit with a last-minute winner in the group stage
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Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma appears to have the ball over the line before crossing it for a goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Japan and Spain at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Doha Qatar.
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German players are discouraged at the end of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group E campaign and the game against Costa Rica
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England’s Marcus Rashford scores his first goal from a free-kick past Wales’ Danny Ward
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A pitch invader crosses the pitch with a rainbow flag during the World Cup Group H match between Portugal and Uruguay at Lusail Stadium, Lusail
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Ismaila Sarr of Senegal celebrates after his team’s victory in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match between Ecuador and Senegal at Khalifa International Stadium
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USA striker #10 Christian Pulisic scores his team’s first goal past Iranian goalkeeper #01 Alireza Beiranvand during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B soccer match between Iran and USA at Al Stadium -Thumama of Doha
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Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar, left, scores the second goal past Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Cameroon and Serbia at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah , in Qatar.
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Brazil midfielder #05 Casemiro celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s first goal in the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group G game against Switzerland at 974 Stadium, Doha
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England’s Harry Kane reacts after missing a scoring chance against USA
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Frenchman Kylian Mbappé scores his second goal against Denmark
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Japan fans await the start of the World Cup Group E soccer match against Germany at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar,
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Uruguay striker #21 Edinson Cavani (bottom) watches the ball during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H match between Portugal and Uruguay at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, North of Doh
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Ghanaian staff member takes selfie with dejected Heung-min Son after win over South Korea
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Iran’s Mehdi Taremi collides with Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey during the FIFA World Cup Group B match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al-Rayyan
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Belgium goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois (R) concedes a goal shot by Moroccan midfielder #11 Abdelhamid Sabiri (unseen) during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group F soccer match between Belgium and Morocco at the stadium Al-Thumama of Doha
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Keysher Fuller of Costa Rica celebrates his first goal with Yeltsin Tejeda and his teammates against Japan
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Germany’s players pose with their hands covering their mouths as they line up for team photos ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Germany and Japan at the International Stadium by Khalifa
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Jude Bellingham of England celebrates scoring his team’s first goal in the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
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England’s Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling throw a rubber toy during a training session at Al Wakrah Stadium
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first goal with a banner of Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the background
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Saudi Salem Al-Dawsari scores his second goal ahead of Argentinian Emiliano Martinez
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Wales’ Gareth Bale celebrates his equalizer against USA
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A Cameroonian fan waits for the start of the Qatar 2022 Group G match against Switzerland
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Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari celebrates his second goal against Argentina
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England’s Jack Grealish celebrates for Finlay Fisher after scoring his team’s sixth goal in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match against Iran at Khalifa International Stadium
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Alex Scott wears the One Love armband
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Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais hits Saudi defender Yasser Al-Shahrani in the head during their Qatar 2022 World Cup Group C match against Argentina at Lusail Stadium
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Saudi fans celebrate after their team’s second goal in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C match against Argentina at Lusail Stadium
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David Beckham in the stands for England-Iran
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Japan’s Takuma Asano scores his second goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match against Germany at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
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Senegal fans wait for the start of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Senegal and Netherlands at Al Thumama stadium
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Frenchman Olivier Giroud shoots on goal against Australia
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Timothy Weah of USA controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match against Wales at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
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Dani Olmo of Spain scores his team’s first goal past Keylor Navas of Costa Rica during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Spain and Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium
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England fans cheer at BOXPARK Croydon as they watch a live stream of England’s opening group round match against Iran
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Ecuador’s Enner Valencia, right, scores their second goal against Qatar’s goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb during the World Cup, Group A soccer match between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Koh
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View of a giant World Cup replica in Qatar
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“I think they are a team that played very well against Switzerland. Cristiano Ronaldo is a great player, he came when we thought it was necessary, so no regrets.
Ronaldo has been talked about throughout this World Cup, first after his departure from Manchester United, then because he was let go by Portugal. But Santos doesn’t think that has disrupted his team.
“I don’t think what happened to Cristiano Ronaldo and the criticism he received had any impact on the game, we were always a very united team,” he said.
