is a icon and probably the greatest soccer gamers ever. He may be an anchor on the workforce’s probabilities of profitable the .
As Portugal opens its World Cup marketing campaign on Wednesday towards DR Congo, Ronaldo is about to change into simply the second participant to play in six totally different World Cups after turned the primary on Tuesday evening towards .
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On one hand, it is a becoming achievement for Ronaldo’s profession. He and Messi have been endlessly in contrast all through their careers earlier than Messi and ‘s 2022 World Cup win successfully ended any and all debate about who was higher. On the opposite, Messi, at 38, continues to be the fulcrum of Argentina’s assault and the point of interest of the workforce. Portugal may very well be even higher with out Ronaldo on the sphere.
The 41-year-old continues to be a succesful striker, however he isn’t the participant he as soon as was. He does not press all that usually, and does not have the blazing pace he as soon as did. Positive, he is nonetheless able to a magical second, however he is additionally been plying his commerce within the Saudi Arabian Professional League for the previous 4 seasons after his second tenure at went south in 2022. Can a participant in his fifth decade who performs in a middling home league actually be a difference-maker at a World Cup?
Portugal positive hopes so.
When Ronaldo performed in his first World Cup on the age of 21, he began all six matches on the wing and scored the clinching penalty kick towards within the quarterfinals as Portugal completed fourth.
Cristiano Ronaldo has eight targets in 22 World Cup video games for Portugal.
(Carlos Rodrigues through Getty Pictures)
However since he is change into the point of interest of the Portugal assault, the nation has did not make it out of the group stage twice and hasn’t gotten previous the quarterfinals once more within the different two tournaments.
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These failures aren’t all on Ronaldo. Portugal will be faulted in lots of latest World Cups for taking part in too conservatively. In 2018, he scored 4 targets within the group stage earlier than the Portuguese misplaced to within the Spherical of 16.
Nonetheless, Ronaldo is, one way or the other, nonetheless looking for his first purpose outdoors of a gaggle stage recreation. In 22 World Cup video games, Ronaldo has eight targets. All eight have come earlier than the knockout rounds. His lone World Cup help got here within the group stage too.
Messi, in the meantime, has six World Cup assists. Sure, the 2 play totally different positions — Messi is rather more of an attacking midfield playmaker whereas Ronaldo is a real ahead — however the disparity in that stat can also be telling. Ronaldo is a participant who rarely passes up the prospect at a purpose.
That is apparent in his domination of Portugal’s free kicks and penalty kicks, whilst his free kick success price has cratered. He is scored only one purpose from a direct free kick in a serious match. That got here in that 2018 World Cup.
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Lately, Ronaldo has began to share free kick duties. , the reigning English Premier League Participant of the Season, is a free kick specialist himself. And he is additionally assumed the crown of Portugal’s most harmful attacker.
Fernandes, 31, will play a job just like Messi’s as an attacking midfielder for Portugal. Throughout 35 EPL video games in 2025-26, Fernandes scored 9 targets and set the league file with 21 assists. He is a grasp at incisive by means of balls, whether or not it is to his Manchester United teammates, Ronaldo, or any of his different extremely gifted nationwide workforce teammates.
Will Fernandes take a bigger function on set items than Ronaldo on the World Cup? We’ll see.
He is additionally removed from the one star in midfield for Portugal, both. The nation could have the perfect midfield of anybody on the match with Bernado Silva, and João Neves. The protection is extremely strong too, as and Gonçalo Inácio occupy the center with and on the flanks.
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There’s additionally not a transparent different to Ronaldo, both. Even in the event you suppose that Ronaldo is now better-suited to a job off the bench as a sub who can run round for half-hour and be on the sphere in case the sport goes to penalty kicks, there’s not a central attacker who’s a surefire possibility forward of Ronaldo. Positive, his standing as Portugal’s best participant ever helps to maintain him on the sphere. However there is not any one pushing him off the pitch, both.
If Ronaldo wasn’t going to start out up entrance, Gonçalo Ramos can be the obvious choice to take his place. However scored simply 12 targets throughout 15 begins and 45 appearances for in 2025-26. If he was nearer to the shape he confirmed in 2024-25, when he had 18 targets throughout 40 appearances, there is likely to be extra of a debate.
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As an alternative, this World Cup — once more — goes to be all about Ronaldo for Portugal. If he’ll climb the mountain Messi summited 4 years in the past, he could must play the perfect match of his life.