On July 2nd, The Guardian published an article discussing Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming his presence overshadows the entire Portuguese team.
After Portugal’s 3-0 penalty shootout victory against Slovenia in the round of 16 of the European Championships, The Guardian noted, “Even after goalkeeper Costa saved three penalties, all eyes were on Ronaldo. During the 2022 World Cup match against Switzerland, Ramos scored a hat-trick, but in the minds of fans, he was still just a replacement for Ronaldo, whose name was constantly chanted. Even though Ronaldo’s performance lacked substance after being substituted, as long as he was on the field, the fans were thrilled.”
The Guardian went on to mention Ronaldo’s numerous records: “Ronaldo scored 10 goals in the European Qualifiers, but against opponents like Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. Against Turkey, his assist to Bruno Fernandes made him the European Championships’ all-time assist leader, so his passing seemed to hold more significance than his goals.”
The Guardian continued to analyze Ronaldo’s performance against Slovenia: “He took free kicks, made poor touches leading to lost possession, and struggled to meet crosses in the latter half. The decline in his physical abilities and reaction time meant he couldn’t seize opportunities like before. Normally, a team wouldn’t field a player in such poor form. But this is Portugal, and it’s Ronaldo, so he’ll continue to start against France.”
The Guardian concluded by asking: “Is it fair for Portugal’s numerous talented players to be relegated to supporting roles for Ronaldo? Is it wise for such a gifted Portuguese team to sacrifice its chances at a major tournament for Ronaldo’s farewell? Winning a championship isn’t easy, and sacrificing the team’s interests for a former superstar, no matter how great he once was, seems unjustifiable.”
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