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ESPN pundit Steve Nicol reckons Cristiano Ronaldo would be a passenger if he features in Portugal's starting XI at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The former further added that Ronaldo wouldn't be physically fit enough to start next year due to his age.
Despite being in the twilight years of his career at the age of 40, Cristiano Ronaldo had a brilliant UEFA Nations League campaign, helping Portugal defeat Spain in the final (June 8). He netted the winner during their 2-1 win over Germany in the semi-final and leveled the scores in the final, making it 2-2 against Spain. A Selecao went on to win the penalty shootout 5-3.
In addition to his impressive finishing up front, Ronaldo notably pressed a lot against Spain and often dropped back to help defend. However, he had to be substituted in the 88th minute for Goncalo Ramos after picking up a knock.
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During a segment on ESPN's YouTube channel, Nicol was asked whether Cristiano Ronaldo's recent performances had convinced him that the latter should start at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The former responded:
"I understand what eveyone is talking about, he only needs one chance... but if you are going to win the World Cup, you can't afford to carry somebody, even if he gets an opportunity to score. Let's just say that there is no question that there will be 3-4 players in that team that will be doing the extra running for Ronaldo which is fair enough because Argentina does it with Messi."
He added:
"The problem is in a year's time, when you start getting up there in that late 30s and you hit 40, physically it goes very quickly. We saw that in his second game in 3-4 days, in the 80th minute, something gave in, that is only going to get worse between now and 2026 World Cup, I just don't see how he'll be physically fit enough to start for Portugal..... if Ronaldo starts at the World Cup, he'll be a passenger."
Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer at the international level. He has recorded 138 goals and 45 assists in 220 appearances across all competitions, helping his nation win three trophies.
"Nothing will change" - Cristiano Ronaldo hints at Al-Nassr contract extension following Nations League triumph
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he will remain with the Saudi outfit after he inspired Portugal to UEFA Nations League glory. When asked about his future after the game, he responded (via Yahoo Sports):
"Future? Nothing will change. Al-Nassr? Yes. Some teams reached out to me. Some made sense and others did not, but you can't try and do everything. You can't catch every ball."
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr as a free agent in January 2023, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal in the process. While the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has impressed individually, Al-Nassr have yet to win an official trophy since his arrival.
With his contract expiring at the end of the month, many fans expected Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Al-Nassr ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Despite multiple sides like Al-Hilal and Wydad Casablanca allegedly interested in his signature, the Portugal ace is now expected to re-sign with Al-Nassr.
