Sir Alex Ferguson, a Manchester United icon, does not expect to see a 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo play for Portugal in the 2026 World Cup.
While Ronaldo has previously stated that this will be his final Euros, it is unclear if he will play at the World Cup in 2026. However, Ferguson believes Ronaldo will struggle to make an impression at the tournament due to the increased demands on his 41-year-old physique.
It’s been a rough campaign for Portugal’s Ronaldo, who has sobbed, yelled, and, most importantly, failed to score on his way to the quarterfinals. The low point occurred in the round-of-16 match against Slovenia, when Ronaldo appeared to neglect the team components of football and attempted to take the Selecao through on his own, resulting in him missing a penalty and apologising to Portugal’s supporters.
Getty ImagesWHAT FERGUSON SAIDFather Time remains unbeaten and Ferguson, who helped shape Ronaldo into a superstar at United, doesn’t believe the forward will be able to play at the highest level required at the next World Cup.When asked if he expects to see Ronaldo at the tournament, Ferguson told SportBild: “I can’t imagine that. Football will become even faster and more athletic in the coming years. In addition, the space for central strikers will become increasingly smaller. In contrast to defenders, it is more difficult for strikers to play at the highest level when they are older.”Ferguson did, however, add that he considers Ronaldo to be “one of the greatest players of all time”, and doesn’t believe he has anything more to prove. “One or two more titles would not mean much to him,” said the former United boss. “Because he has had a unique career.”
France await Roberto Martinez’s side in a mouth-watering quarter-final matchup on Friday, with the victors just two wins away from European glory. Ronaldo will be desperate to silence those calling for him to be dropped when he comes up against Mbappe and Co.
