Ronaldo’s biggest strength is now his main weakness at the World Cup

Rashford pays tribute to Ronaldo after Man Utd exit

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At the start of the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo had a point to prove. Having burned his bridges at Manchester United with that infamous interview with Piers Morgan, where he took aim at both Erik ten Hag and the Glazers, this was his chance to show he’s worth all the hassle. So far, however, that’s yet to happen with the Portugal captain now out in the cold at international level after being benched for Tuesday night’s stirring 6-1 victory over Switzerland.

Ronaldo’s interview with Morgan riled United. It wasn’t just that he took aim at Ten Hag and the Glazers, but he also bemoaned the facilities at Carrington, dragged Sir Alex Ferguson into the argument and even the club’s chefs got a mention as well.

But he didn’t care. The 37-year-old had done the interview knowing full well what the end result would be. Having craved a move back in the summer, he wasn’t going to let that ship sail for a second time.

United hadn’t actually released Ronaldo by the time he flew out to the Middle East but, almost immediately upon landing, he was cut loose. He took to the field for Portugal’s World Cup clash with Ghana as a free agent, one looking to make himself attractive for potential suitors.

Ever since, however, things have gone from bad to worse for the veteran. While he scored against Ghana on matchday one, that fixture already seems like a long time ago.

Ronaldo showed a desperate side to his game when he tried to poach a goal from Bruno Fernandes in Portugal’s 2-0 win over Uruguay. Getting Morgan, now acting as a bizarre sort of cheerleader, involved didn’t help matters either.

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Then he foolishly ducked to gift South Korea a goal on matchday three, with the Asian side going to claim a 2-1 victory. Ronaldo was substituted that day and couldn’t hide his dismay, cutting an angry figure as he trudged to the touchline.

That didn’t please manager Fernando Santos. Speaking about it prior to his side’s emphatic victory over Switzerland, he said: “If I see the images – I didn’t like it, not at all. I really did not like it.

“But from that moment onwards, everything is finished – full stop regarding that issue. Now, we have to think about tomorrow’s match, and everyone is focused on tomorrow’s match.”

Then, last night, Ronaldo suffered the ultimate humiliation. One that will be difficult for him to come back from.

Not only was he demoted to the bench on the grandest stage of all, the veteran was upstaged by his replacement. Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos isn’t a household name but, after his sensational hat-trick against the Swiss, he’s on his way to becoming one.

Ronaldo, perhaps aware of the glare of the hundreds of cameras that were fixed on him, did his best to act the part of a squad player. He cheered, he encouraged, he joined in the celebrations.

Yet as soon as the final whistle went, he was gone. Rather than bask in what was a glorious night out onto the pitch, he preferred to take solace in the privacy of the dressing room.

For years, Ronaldo’s biggest strength has been his mindset. That, perhaps, puts him above Lionel Messi.

A boy moulded into a man by stern characters such as Ferguson, Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane has gone on to become an extra-terrestrial figure within the sport. His mentality has seen him achieve everything there is to achieve, a World Cup triumph aside.

But, now, it’s his biggest weakness. A man out of time can’t escape the terrifying ticking of the clock, something that is becoming increasingly clear with each passing game.

Ronaldo still thinks he’s the player that propelled Manchester United and Real Madrid to trophies galore. He probably believes he’s still on the level he was when he arrived at Juventus in 2018, too.

But the brutal truth of the matter is that he isn’t.

Ronaldo isn’t even close to being that player. With just three goals to his name, there’s a reason why United were so relaxed about terminating his contract last month.

He could, of course, still leave his mark at the World Cup. Providing all goes to plan, Portugal will take to the field three more times in Qatar before flying back in time for Christmas.

But there’s a genuine sense, now, that everybody without Ronaldo is better off.

And, unless he accepts his new role in the footballing world order, his final years in the sport won’t be ones to remember. 

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