Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
I have to put up some credit for Javier Hernandez coming to the defence of former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo after this summer’s World Cup.
However, I think Javier Hernandez equally undid his argument with one final point that he made about Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance for Portugal at the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo made a record-tying sixth World Cup tournament appearance this summer and the 41-year-old Portuguese forward’s last chance to lift the trophy fell well short.
I also watched the whole FIFA tournament and saw the moment that Portugal crashed out of the last 16 of the World Cup after a round-of-16 defeat to Spain.
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Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo is pictured before the international friendly football match between Portugal and Nigeria at Magalhaes Pessoa Stadium in Leiria, on June 10, 2026.
Photo by FILIPE AMORIM / AFP via Getty Images
Cristian Orozco of Manchester United poses after signing for the club at Carrington Training Ground on August 06, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Cristian Orozco of Manchester United poses after signing for the club at Carrington Training Ground on August 06, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Javier Hernandez backs Cristiano Ronaldo for his lack of service, but also the cracks emerged in his defence of the Man Utd legend
Cristiano Ronaldo signed off his final World Cup appearance by scoring three times in five matches, but the Al Nassr forward looked crestfallen by Portugal’s exit.
Javier Hernandez was reunited with Rio Ferdinand on his former Manchester United teammate’s podcast and offered his two cents on Ronaldo’s time at the World Cup.
I think it is fair for Chicharito to point out that the service might have been lacking for the Portugal captain from the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Joao Neves.
“He said it in the press conference, he scored three goals in a World Cup,” Hernandez said on Rio Ferdinand Presents.
“Then other players were better, but a part of the individuality is that, yes, they were better; their teams were better. And Portugal, it’s like you have the best midfielders in the world.
“I truly still believe it. You have Vitinha, you have João Neves, [a] two-time Champions League winner. You have Bernardo Silva on the bench, but then you have Bruno Fernandes — that he just beat the record in the Premier League for assists — and they couldn’t make Ronaldo miss 10 chances.”
I do think myself that Bruno Fernandes underperformed at the World Cup after a strong finish to the 2025-26 campaign under Red Devils boss Michael Carrick.
However, I could feel my ears prick up when I heard Hernandez say that people were “taking advantage” of beating Ronaldo with a stick because of his age.
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“He had the penalty in a very hard position,” Chicharito later added.
“He scored and he put the game level. So, I think a lot of people are taking advantage right now of that situation, because of course, he’s 41 years old.”
In one fell swoop, I watched former Man Utd striker Chicharito dismantle his own argument by mentioning Ronaldo’s age amid the criticism against him.
No, Hernandez, I think that is the most valid point made about Ronaldo’s underperformance and why the spotlight was already on him was his age.
I love the impact that Ronaldo had in his first spell at Old Trafford, but name and stature are not enough to win a World Cup tournament with a country.
Ronaldo has been on the decline for some time and stat-padding his goalscoring record at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr is not impressive at all.
I cannot argue enough with Hernandez that there is no agenda with Ronaldo, but ‘Father Time’ has simply caught up with Man Utd’s iconic former No 7 in a big way.