Why did this happen?
Because the current Portugal team was led by the Golden Generation of Figo and Rui Costa.
They won back-to-back World Youth Championship titles in 1989 and 1991, and made it to the semi-finals of the European Championship in 2000.
This year was their best chance to make a run for the World Cup.
The team had a complete roster, mature tactics, players were full of understanding towards each other, and they were just one step away from making history… If you were in their shoes, would you want some unknown newcomer to come in and reap the rewards?
Even if you weren't worried about someone else reaping the rewards, the addition of any newcomer at this time could potentially disrupt their chemistry, leading to unpredictable consequences.
And moreover…
To put it bluntly, Ronaldo could possibly be selected, but Deng Kai stood no chance.
Ronaldo: Is that supposed to sound harsh?
Why?
Because Deng Kai was the core of the team.
