will he become a problem for Portugal?
Cristiano Ronaldo is in crisis and is becoming a problem for Portugal before the World Cup: Do Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and Co play better without CR7?
Everything pointed to Portugal winning 0:0 versus Spain in extra time and advancing to the Nations League Final Four until the 88th minute. But after Alvaro Morata’s goal made it 1-0, Spain’s large neighbors were able to pass. One may have had a very small taste of this. We’re referring to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was heavily criticized for a number of squandered opportunities. The 37-year-old is increasingly causing Portugal problems.
Cristiano Ronaldo has an unbelievable record while wearing the Portugal national team’s jersey: 191 games, 117 goals. The team’s main star and a national hero in his own country is the five-time world soccer champion. The only issue is that CR7’s prime is over. and has a low form as a result of advancing age.
Ronaldo has certainly distracted himself a little with his change request and is with Manchester United as currently only replacement. He’s still waiting for his first goal of the season for the Red Devils. The attacker was able to score at least one in the Nations League game against the Czech Republic, but that was only his second goal in the national team in 2022. For comparison: In 2021 CR7 took 13 more shots and scored five European Championship goals in four games .
The most recent game versus Spain also demonstrated Ronaldo’s current lack of confidence and form. The veteran had a number of excellent opportunities, but none of them could be taken. He had three to four opportunities. He frequently utilizes two extremely good ones. He failed to score this time, according to national coach Fernando Santos.
Ronaldo did not appear as if the Nations League elimination would pass him by without a trace and appeared obviously battered and bruised. The veteran is also aware that he is under scrutiny and must perform.
Is Portugal better off without a CR7?
The idea that the team would be even better without Cristiano Ronaldo is brought up repeatedly. In March, Corn futebol writer Sergio Pires provided the following explanation of the Ronaldo issue: “When Ronaldo comes up, everyone knows that the ball should be handed to him as much as possible. Everyone wants to use it while trying not to irritate him. As a result, the team’s Play is not as free and inventive as it would be without him.
Focusing on Ronaldo presents a challenge because Portugal has a variety of exceptional attacking talents. Players like Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joo Félix, Diogo Jota, and Rafael Leo should be mentioned. However, in the past, it has frequently been observed that the players stated in Portugal’s uniform do not come close to their usual performances in club football. This can certainly have something to do with Ronaldo being too much in the foreground.
The best scenario would probably be if Ronaldo simply acted as part of the squad and sorted himself into the team structure. Of course, the attacker will always be the leading figure when he’s on the pitch, but the whole game can’t be focused on him. Portugal has many individualists who shine in their own way and can decide games. Rafael Leão, for example, does this regularly in Milan.
Portugal lacks in-form clippers: Ronaldo still in demand
However, it should also be said that there is currently no clear center forward in Portugal who also snaps regularly. João Félix or Diogo Jota could play for CR7 as the center forward. Neither of them has scored a single goal in the season. Things are going similarly badly for André Silva, who only scored in the cup against Teutonia Ottensen and was not called up for international matches.
So in a way, Cristiano Ronaldo is lucky that the other Portuguese clippers are also in a slump in form. Otherwise, the debate would rage much louder as to whether Ronaldo should even be in the starting XI. Portugal currently has a problem anyway – with or without Ronaldo. In any case, it is clear that Fernando Santos will let the superstar play. This is less of a sporting and more of a political decision. The 37-year-old has a gigantic fan base. The CR7 name and brand are too big and powerful, and there is at most a handful of coaches who would pull off a measure like “Ronaldo on the bench.” Fernando Santos is not one of them.
However, the coach is still asked not to find the best solution for Cristiano Ronaldo, but the best solution for the Portuguese national team. After all, this is his job. The coach needs to find a style of play where all the stars can shine equally. It is certainly up to Ronaldo to adapt his gestures, facial expressions, and speech. The team doesn’t need a Ronaldo who complains or waves his hand when he doesn’t get the ball but also has to give his colleagues the signal to have confidence in themselves. In this way, he can perhaps also change the way of thinking of the other players, which has probably been burned a bit over the years.
Only in this way is the Portuguese offensive still stronger today with the team captain and good enough to have a say in the title fight at the World Cup. After the World Cup, a resignation of the 191-time national player is not likely anyway – CR7 recently stated that he would also like to take the EM 2024 with him.
