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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo is unarguably one of the greatest footballers to play the beautiful game. By merely looking at his achievements, it is easy to see why he is regarded by many as the best ever to kick a football. Ronaldo is also the highest goalscorer ever in men's international football.
The 36-year-old has had a glittering career for club and country over the last two decades. A Portugal great, Cristiano Ronaldo helped transform the team from a struggling nation in European football to heavyweights.
Cristiano Ronaldo has led Portugal to multiple trophies in recent years
He captained Portugal to glory in the European Championship in 2016 and in the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019. Such a player is simply irreplaceable.
For all of his country's reliance on him, Cristiano Ronaldo always delivers for Portugal when he is needed. Now aged 36, thoughts have begun to turn toward the inevitability of his retirement despite his invincibility.
On that note, here is a list of five players who can help Portugal in a similar way to Cristiano Ronaldo after he calls time on his career:
#5 Rafael Leao
AC Milan forward Rafael Leao is one of the most talented youngsters to emerge from Portugal in recent years. The 22-year-old came up through the youth set-up at Sporting Lisbon like Cristiano Ronaldo and has represented Portugal in every age group.
The youngster made a name for himself in Ligue 1 with Lille before moving to Italian giants AC Milan after just one season. Leao has played only three times for Portugal, making his debut as a halftime substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo in a 3-0 friendly win over Qatar.
The promising youngster is a potential source of goals for Portugal, and he surely has a long and successful career ahead of him if he can maintain his current trajectory.
#4 Francisco Trincao
Francisco Trincao has looked like a man reborn over the past four months of his career. The 21-year-old winger possesses a wand of a left foot and plays as though the ball was attached to his boot by an invisible string.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers winger has shown glimpses of his ability that made FC Barcelona sign him in the first place. Trincao rose through the ranks at Sporting Braga, and has played for every Portugal age group team from U17 level. The winger has played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal on a number of occasions already.
Trincao is expected to become a central figure for Portugal in the coming years, especially as Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to draw the curtain on his glamorous career.
#3 Joao Felix
Another potential Cristiano Ronaldo replacement for Portugal is Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix. The 22-year-old attacking sensation represented two of the biggest clubs in Portugal, FC Porto and Benfica, at youth level.
The forward made his name by playing for Benfica's first-team before completing a sensational €127 million transfer to Atletico Madrid, where he has shown flashes of his brilliance. A full Portugal international, Felix has already played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for the Selecao, racking up three goals in 20 senior appearances.
Felix won the prestigious Golden Boy award in 2019, and has constantly been a part of the Portugal national team ever since. He has been a bit-part player for Portugal since making his international bow, but is expected to be one of those to step up after Cristiano Ronaldo.
#2 Diogo Jota
Liverpool striking sensation Diogo Jota is a player who has caught the eye in his appearances for Portugal and his club. The 24-year-old is already a key player for his country and has played 22 times since making his debut in 2019, with eight goals to show for it.
Jota has proved himself to be a fine goalscorer for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at club level. He represented Portugal at Euro 2020 and scored once in a group stage 4-2 loss to Germany, a match in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored the other goal.
The forward is a reliable goalscorer who can conveniently carry a chunk of the burden of goalscoring for Portugal after Cristiano Ronaldo, as he has shown already,
#1 Andre Silva
RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva is another potential Cristiano Ronaldo replacement for Portugal. The 26-year-old has had quite the journeyman's career so far, but his quality has always shone through.
Silva made his international debut for Portugal in 2016, and scored his first goal in a 6-0 win over Andorra while a certain Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals in the game. Silva has played for Portugal in the FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA World Cup, UEFA Nations League and UEFA European Championship.
The striker has scored 19 goals in 32 starts for Portugal, averaging a goal in just under two starts. Andre Silva is yet to fully replicate the goalscoring form he has shown in recent years at club level for Portugal. However, he can surely emerge as one of the leading men for Portugal whenever Cristiano Ronaldo decides to call time on his career.
