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Cristiano Ronaldo will play for the Portugal national team 'for as long as he wants' according to assistant coach Ricardo Carvalho, who works under manager Roberto Martinez.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been in fine form for Portugal in the last few months and scored 3 goals in the last 2 international games against Armenia and Hungary.
Now 40, the superstar is showing no signs of slowing down. When asked about how long Cristiano Ronaldo will play in the Portugal national team, Ricardo Carvalho told A Bola:
“I feel like it will be as long as he wants. The truth is, he's earned so much credit over all these years… And I think he's doing well, which is the most important thing.
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“It helps; you feel like he's part of the team, and you feel like he can help. Coach Roberto, especially, had all the merit in bringing him back to the national team after the 2022 World Cup. The coach's feeling, in the meetings we've had, is that Cristiano will be capable of making it to the World Cup.
“I have no idea how long he can go, if there's a limit or not, but we're all very happy that he's our captain and leading the team the way he has.”
Cristiano Ronaldo taking it 'day by day', has 'grown a lot over the years', says Ricardo Carvalho
The former Chelsea defender also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo's leadership style and said that the national team had plenty of leaders apart from the Al Nassr star:
“We have good leaders. Cristiano Ronaldo knows he'll eventually lose this fight against time. He feels good and is an important part of the team. I think he's taking it day by day right now.
“Then we have players who play for big clubs, who are champions. They already lead their teams, they have experience, and they'll surely be able to lead in their own way. Cristiano leads in his own way; he's grown a lot over the years, since he started with me in 2003-04. The most important thing is that the national team is well-stocked with talent and good leaders.”
Ronaldo has already won 3 trophies with the national team (a European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles) and will be determined to lead his side to glory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Still going strong and scoring freely, Ronaldo remains a key player, and Roberto Martinez will be counting on the supremely fit five-time Ballon d'Or winner to be at his best next summer.
