“The Biggest Obstacle To Portugal Winning,” Is Cristiano Ronaldo Holding Portugal Back?

For the better part of two decades, the above statement would be incomprehensible. A statement to be scoffed at and mocked. Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the greatest Portuguese soccer player of all time. He is undoubtedly one of the top 10 best soccer players of all time.

Ronaldo has led his nation as their talisman, captain and focal point for years on end. He has provided critical goals for Portugal in World Cup qualifying, World Cup group games, European Championship knockout stage games, and everything in between. It should not be lost on anyone that no matter what happens from here on out, Cristiano Ronaldo is a forever hero of Portugal.

But with that being said, soccer, and honestly life in general, does not give you a pass to do whatever you want forever just because of your greatness in the past. And because of that, we cannot let Ronaldo’s past greatness cloud how we judge him now.

Ronaldo’s game against Turkey marked the 6th consecutive major tournament (World Cup or Euro) game that the Portuguese star failed to score in. But that’s not really illustrative of the problem. The problem lies in the fact that Ronaldo simply cannot make runs, dribble or finish the way he once could.

Because of Portugal’s history with Ronaldo, Portuguese players feel obliged to pass the ball to him and give him the opportunity to score. But because of his age, Ronaldo will inevitably lose possession or fluff his lines in these situations. Situations in which Portugal could have had great chances to score become clogged or lost because of this dynamic.

After being benched by Portugal and Manchester United at the end of 2022, Ronaldo fled to the Saudi league. While he has scored quite a few goals there, he plays in relative obscurity, and even lost the Saudi league title with Al-Nassr, a title that the club had won before Ronaldo came.

Ronaldo is a generational player. We don’t want him to tarnish his legacy by being the obstacle in the way of this very talented Portuguese team winning the euros. A player like Ronaldo need to make sure that he ends his career with dignity, not as fodder for jokes, as he has become for many.

Ronaldo still has something to offer for Portugal. But that something may have more to do with advice he can give and mentality he can impart than being the focal point on the pitch. For the good of his legacy and the nation he so loves playing for, it’s time for Ronaldo to recognize the situation and act accordingly.