Should Cristiano Ronaldo Stay In The Portugal Squad?

No matter your opinions on football, anyone can agree that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time. For over 2 decades he has been at the beating heart of Portuguese football, helping to deliver the nation's first ever major international trophy winning the Euros in 2016, however now heading into his twilight years, questions are being raised as to whether him still being in the squad is doing more harm than good… This begs the question - Should Cristiano Ronaldo stay in the Portugal squad?

Why Should He Stay?

There’s no denying the contributions that Cristiano Ronaldo has made to international football, 120 goals for Portugal makes him not only the all time top scorer for Portugal but also in the history of international football. Him just being on the pitch at times has helped fire up his team, lift morale and boost confidence, not to mention his other-worldly footballing ability making him capable of single handedly dragging his team through games.

Even at 39, Ronaldo is still a physical monster, his exceptional levels of fitness, work ethic and win at all costs mentality have made him a valuable asset in most eyes especially to his younger teammates who have grown up idolising him. With Portugal now preparing for the 2026 world cup, many will believe that he could be an integral part in the team and help to fire up an young and extremely capable Portugal squad featuring top level players such as PSG’s Vitinha and Nuno Mendes as well as Milans Raphael Leão, all of whom are top level young players and will have grown up idolising Ronaldo.

The Case For Hanging Up The Boots

While Ronaldo’s legacy to the game is unquestionable, football is a game of the present. Many critics have argued that Portugal must begin to look ahead and transition to a team less dependent on aging stars. The national squad now boasts a talented new generation with players like João Félix, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Ramos, and Vitinha all of whom bring fresh energy, speed, and tactical flexibility all having shown capabilities at a club level to be some of the most impressive players in the world.

In recent times, Portugal have looked tactically inept and many believe that this can be narrowed down to trying to accommodate an aging Ronaldo into the squad, excluding younger, quicker and more ‘modern’ players. His need to be the ‘main man’ in the squad has often held teams back and had been known to cause issues in the dressing room as seen at his second stint at Manchester United, with reports saying he became ‘frustrated’ and ‘opinionated’ regarding some of his fellow players, ultimately leading to his departure to join Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr. A combination of these factors had led to his coaches feeling pressure to play him over more youthful players who may be better suited to the teams system.

So, What’s The Best Option?

Well, the best choice may be to find a sweet spot somewhere in the middle. There’s no law saying that Ronaldo has to start every game but equally that he shouldn’t play. Therefore, I believe that the best option is if Roberto Martinez were to include Ronaldo in the squad, to play him when he sees fit, whilst it may frustrate Cristiano, I feel that it would be the best option for all and give Portugal their best chance at going far as it will give them far more diversity and range of attacking options as opposed to trying to work everything through Ronaldo and instead giving him the opportunity to play a range of minutes, starting some games and being a substitute in others.