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Brazilian youngster and Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. has lauded Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The 22-year-old Brazilian forward considers Ronaldo his idol and believes the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will arrive in Qatar with 'high concentration.'
The young Brazilian said via Twitter:
"Cristiano Ronaldo will arrive at the World Cup with a high concentration as always."
Vinicius has been selected in the 26-man squad of the Brazil national team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and is hopeful of finding his name in the starting XI as well.
The youngster has consistently performed for his Spanish club Real Madrid, scoring 10 goals and providing five assists in 20 appearances across all competitions this season. He also played a key role in Madrid lifting their 14th Champions League title last season and finishing at the top of the La Liga table as well.
Vinicius made it to Madrid's starting XI after the departure of Ronaldo from the Santiago Bernabeau before the beginning of the 2018-19 season to join Serie A side Juventus.
The Portuguese won several personal and team accolades in Madrid, notable amongst them were his four Ballon d'Or trophies and four Champions League titles. He also ended his stint in the Spanish capital with 450 goals in 438 appearances, becoming the club's highest goalscorer of all time.
Portugal's road to the 2022 FIFA World Cup was not easy as they had to play in the playoffs to make it to Qatar after failing to qualify through the European groups. The 2016 Euro champions rose to the occasion to beat Turkey and then North Macedonia to book their berth for the tournament, which could possibly be Ronaldo's last appearance.
Ronaldo is not coming to Qatar with a very confident mindset because of his complex situation and a shaky start to the ongoing season. He has just three goals and one assist in 16 games across all competitions this season.
Portugal head coach Fernando Santos to make his 26-man 2022 FIFA World Cup squad public on Thursday
Portugal head coach Fernando Santos will announce his final squad for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday. Brazil, Japan, Costa Rica and Denmark have already announced their squads.
The Portuguese manager announced the 55-man preliminary squad in late October. Santos will have a difficult time picking the best possible squad off the initial list as he faces injury issues with key players like Pepe and Diogo Jota.
Portugal are amongst the few teams that seem to be very solid on paper but the recent injury scares and inconsistent form of Cristiano Ronaldo might play a spoilsport for them in Qatar.
However, the forward has proven his ability at the highest stages throughout his career, and fans across the globe believe that Ronaldo will return to his usual form in Qatar. Portugal will face Nigeria in a friendly match on 18 November before taking on Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea in the group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
