Summary
Ronaldo's international career is declining; critics are calling for changes in the team.
His recent performance was subpar, with no goals, dribbles, or key passes.
Social media consensus is that Ronaldo is no longer fit to be Portugal's primary forward.
For many generations, the clearest sign that time has raced forward is the absence of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from the Ballon d'Or conversation. With the latter now weaving the last remnants of his magic in the distant realms of Saudi Arabia, it’s a bittersweet realisation that football has officially transitioned to a new era, one that once felt almost unimaginable.
On the surface, it may seem like Ronaldo is still making waves in the Middle East, with fans from around the world eager to watch the 40-year-old in action after he's notched 19 goals in 24 Saudi Pro League matches this term. On the contrary, however, his international career has taken a nosedive in recent times. During Euro 2024, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar was a shadow of his former self.
Whether he can rediscover his goalscoring form ahead of the 2026 World Cup remains unclear. But after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Denmark in their Nations League quarter-final on Thursday night, it’s starting to look like a tall order as the four-time Ballon d'Or winner looked almost hopeless.
Egypt's Ahmed Hassan, Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Cafu Related
10 Greatest International Footballers in History [Ranked]
Some footballers have built their legends largely on their international careers. But which ones are the greatest national team players?
How Cristiano Ronaldo Performed During 1-0 Loss to Denmark
He managed just two shots in his 90-minute cameo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Great success leads to even greater scrutiny, and so, as Ronaldo continues to show no signs of improving his form for his national team, he is becoming more and more of a target. But after his forgettable performance midweek, he has nobody to blame but himself.
Over the 90 minutes he played, he registered just two shots, both of which missed the target. He failed to complete a single successful dribble, won only one duel, made just one defensive action, and didn’t register a key pass, thus finishing the night having failed to create any significant chances for his teammates, despite being trusted with leading the line. See his Sofascore match statistics below:
cr7
As a result of a ghostly cameo, no player was rated lower than him on either team in Sofascore's scoring system. Furthermore, he was given just a 4/10 in GOAL's player ratings article. In that, they wrote:
"Continues to be a passenger when Portugal come up against decent opposition. Put one weak header wide on an otherwise uneventful evening for the veteran skipper."
To add insult to injury, the match-winner was none other than Rasmus Hojlund, who celebrated by pulling out Ronaldo’s iconic celebration right in the corner. While the Manchester United striker insisted after the game that no disrespect was intended, the sight of Ronaldo watching on - powerless, expressionless - was a moment that said more than words ever could. See below:
Ronaldo's International Career Is Coming To A Nondescript End
Onlookers have urged Roberto Martinez to show some cojones and drop him
Ronaldo
Whether they are critics of Ronaldo or simply just wanting the icon to ensure his international legacy - which boasts the Euro 2016 triumph - intact as much as possible, there appears to be a unanimous agreement on social media that the veteran winger-turned-striker simply isn't good enough to be Portugal's primary forward anymore.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is the worst international player ever," one X user sensationally claimed. "He was born into Portugal’s golden generation then had multiple elite teams around him for 2 decades and the only time they won something he watched from the bench. I would hate him so much if I had to rep him." Another, meanwhile, threw shade on Roberto Martinez (see post below):
"Portugal has become a team run by politics, where appeasing the Ronaldo dictatorship is more important than meritocracy. It needs to change its selection model by 2026 or it's going to end in tears again. Roberto Martinez is a puppet, he needs to assert authority."
A third critic continued: "Unless Portugal drops Ronaldo, they will never progress as a footballing team. He is the weakest link in that team, as a fourth added: "Ronaldo should retire from the National team and stop disgracing himself."
Another comment concluded: "This Ronaldo performance has been too sad to see man. I can't lie, someone needs to tell him he's finished at this level." As shown in the past, he will certainly want to prove his critics wrong, and he will have a chance to do just that when Portugal welcome Denmark to the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Sunday night for the second leg.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore (correct as of 21/03/2025)