In 1966, Eusebio scored nine goals to help Portugal to third place on their World Cup debut. The Black Panther played in only one World Cup. But, he still has the most World Cup goals for the country. Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time great, has only eight goals from five editions and none of them have come in the knockouts. Now, at 41, he has what must (surely) be one final shot at World Cup glory.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez is a fellow traveller on the boat of redemption. The Spaniard was in charge of Belgium’s golden generation; they withered away without a hint of silver. Martinez hopes to make up by winning Portugal’s first World Cup.
He has a modern backline led by Ruben Dias that can hold a high line, defend the box and play through pressure. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa, Porto’s captain, is good with the ball at his feet and is a capable penalty-saver. Then there is the outgoing Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva, who slows the game down when pressure rises, and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, who speeds it up when a chance looms. Fernandes is in the form of his life. In Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves, Martinez has got three irreplaceable players from reigning European champions, Paris Saint-Germain. Striker Goncalo Ramos also plays for PSG. The Portugal team has looked good under Martinez, scoring goals freely and showing maturity to see games out—his tenure has seen Portugal’s longest ever winning streak of 11 games.
Beyond being the senior statesman and the emotional driving force for his younger teammates, Ronaldo has also become a fox in the box in the past three years. After failing at the 2022 World Cup, he has scored 25 goals in 31 appearances till June 6. But, he did not score at the one major tournament he played during that time—Euro 2024. If he fails again, can Portugal still win the cup?
The biggest issue is not that Ronaldo may underperform, but the fact that there is no real alternative to his position. If not for his tragic death last year, Diogo Jota could have been an option, but, now, only Ramos can be considered. Once an exciting prospect, the 24-year-old’s development has stalled since his move to Paris in 2023. Though he scored a memorable hat-trick at the last World Cup, there is uncertainty whether he can deliver when it matters most. The team does not need him to be the next Ronaldo—that, like in Messi’s case, is impossible. He just has to be the best version of Ramos. But, he may not be there yet, meaning Ronaldo is still the safer option to start with.
Martinez has indicated as much, saying Ronaldo’s last three years in the national team were earned, day by day. Portugal, it seems, will live and die by Ronaldo.
