It’s as if Cristiano Ronaldo’s public relations machine is running in full flow, retelling his pitching at the Euros from 10 years ago to a modern equivalent of the World Cup.
“Bold” was the conclusion for many, and some may wonder if he had taken that attitude before the World Cup started.
By the way, there is nothing more impressive on the international stage to win a continental title than to win a world title. Teams like Brazil and Argentina do not need to negotiate with their European opponents to win the Copa America. Similarly, the likes of Spain, Portugal, England and France don’t have to worry about the South American powerhouses to win the Euros.
Every failure at the World Cup made Portugal’s Euro 2016 win even more important for Ronaldo.
In the past, it was the difference maker between him and rival Lionel Messi. The Argentinean’s continued failures against his country were seen as top of the never-ending GOAT debate.
That was until 2021, when Messi won the Copa America with Argentina. Little did we know that La Albiceleste would embark on such an era of dominance. The World Cup was the only title that could not elude both Ronaldo and Messi until they headed to Qatar four years ago.
And while Ronaldo’s efforts ended in unexpected fashion at the hands of Morocco, Messi will climb Mount Everest and win international football’s ultimate prize. The Argentine was named World Cup Player of the Year for the second time and remains firmly in contention to win it again.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s victory at Euro 2016 is his greatest international achievement (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
As a result, Ronaldo, 41, appears to be on the defensive as he looks certain to play in his sixth and final World Cup. His best effort was the semi-finals his country reached in 2006.
But all his successes a decade ago, despite other shortcomings, are part of the story Ronaldo is weaving now to keep his legacy in top shape.
He said: “I won three titles with the Portuguese national team, but until Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal had never won a single title. The biggest title the national team has ever won was the European Championship in 2016. To be honest, we deserved to win the World Cup.”
Don’t remind Ronaldo that in 2016 Portugal only qualified by failing to win a single game in the group stage and finishing third, as UEFA expanded the tournament and made it harder to get eliminated than to qualify.
Many questioned whether the 41-year-old forward could justify a starting role.
The real irony is that since 2016, Portuguese football has continued to produce quality and today’s team is in a different stratosphere than the team that won the Euros. Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Diaz, Joao Félix, Bernardo Silva, Vicinha, Nuno Mendes and Diogo Costa were among those who appeared.
If anything, 2016 could, and perhaps should, have served as a catalyst for the type of dominance Messi and Argentina have enjoyed since 2021.
On the other hand, Portugal has not made it past the quarterfinals in the past five major tournaments. There’s no getting around the fact that they underdeliver many times. So was Ronaldo the problem? Well, some would suggest so, especially in recent tournaments.
Roberto Martínez has slammed his continued fixation with a 41-year-old frontman whose productivity is questionable at best. He had as many chances as Erling Haaland at the World Cup, but scored four fewer goals. This paints a grim picture, considering his brand and late career was simply scoring goals.
Lionel Messi’s efforts in this World Cup have further highlighted Cristiano Ronaldo’s shortcomings (Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
Questions have been raised about his level of involvement, as he created just one chance for his team-mates in five games and touched the ball more than Al Nasr, 366 players at the World Cup.
Frustratingly for Ronaldo and his supporters, there is no doubt that one of the big themes of this World Cup will be whether the two giants of the game can be as good as they are in their late 30s and early 40s.
The answer was equally clear yes and no. A question worth holding back for now, but pondering over for a few weeks, is whether Ronaldo thinks the Euros are as great as the two World Cups. Messi and his brothers are actually trying to put an end to a debate that has been going on for years.
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