Only one major honour eludes the phenomenal Cristiano Ronaldo, that being the majestic FIFA World Cup.
The 22nd edition of the most prestigious sporting event is looming and this may just be the last opportunity for a Cristiano-led Portugal to conquer the world.
Being the greatest goalscorer in football history, the Madeira-born superstar naturally aims to achieve every feat and hoist every trophy on offer. He has claimed a winner’s medal in every club competition he has competed in (excluding the Europa League) and in 2016 he became a European champion with his national team.
The one and only title which Cristiano cannot claim to be his is the biggest one of them all: the World Cup. With Qatar 2022 on our doorstep, Ronaldo aims to become a world champion at the fifth time of asking. No player at the upcoming tournament has more international caps than Portugal’s number 7.
Despite his sky-high ambitions and undoubted physical capabilities to continue playing into his 40s, this tournament in the Arabian peninsula could yet prove Ronaldo’s final hurrah on the world stage.
(Photo by Getty Images)
Turning 38 next February, Ronaldo holds several goal-scoring records, including most international goals in history (117) and the most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League (140). He has bagged 701 goals across the four clubs he has played for throughout his prolific career. In total, he has racked up a mega 818 career goals.
Cristiano recently made headlines after lifting the lid on a bombshell interview in which the Manchester United player has claimed he feels betrayed by the club. Speaking to British media personality Piers Morgan, Ronaldo claimed that he does not have the respect of Erik ten Hag and the United manager is attempting to drive the Portuguese out of the club.
Ronaldo made known of this compelling interview immediately after United secured a late win in their final contest before the World Cup. This isn’t the first time Cristiano has yanked the limelight away from his teammates after he made a beeline for the Old Trafford dressing room before the end of United’s hard-earned victory over Spurs last month.
Despite playing victim in this juicy saga, it must be noted Ronaldo has constantly been a thorn in the side during Ten Hag’s short regime at Old failed. After missing the bulk of pre-season, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has struggled to come to grips with life under the new United boss.
After United fell short in qualification for the Champions League at the end of last season, Ronaldo was open to a move away from Manchester, albeit no Champions League clubs came forth. The club are pursuing legal advice and could terminate Ronaldo’s contract half a year before it is due to expire.
Everyone’s had their say about him. Now it’s his turn.
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) November 14, 2022
90 Minutes With Cristiano Ronaldo.
8pm, Wednesday and Thursday on TalkTV.@cristiano | @piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #90MinutesWithRonaldo pic.twitter.com/auP1BoizhO
Ronaldo will be adamant to prove his importance to A Seleção despite a slow start to the season. He has scored three goals in 16 appearances for Man Utd this season. The Portugal failed to get on the scoresheet in each of his last three outings in the Nations League. He was, however, the joint-top scorer at Euro 2020 last year.
At the World Cup, Ronaldo and Portugal have not embarked on a worthwhile road to the final since 2006, when they reached the semi-finals and ended the tournament in 4th place. Since then, it has proven rather disappointing from Portugal’s perspective.
In 2010, Ronaldo and co ended 2nd in Group G which also housed Brazil. The Portuguese then lost to eventual winners Spain in the Round of 16, failing to score in three out of four matches in South Africa, which culminated in then-manager Carlos Queiroz being dismissed. Four year later it went from bad to worse as A Seleção exited from the groups after ending 3rd behind Germany and USA.
For the third consecutive World Cup, Portugal were grouped with a fellow European heavyweight, this time in the form of Spain. Portugal had the edge as they came into the tournament as champions of Europe, although the Spanish topped the group by the narrowest of margins. Portugal subsequently lost to Uruguay in the first knockout round.
Since achieving its best World Cup finish with a bronze medal in 1966, only once have Portugal progressed beyond the last-16. Almost two decades later, and now with Ronaldo’s best years behind him, it is now or never for Cristiano to taste World Cup glory.
Ronaldo is one of 10 players which represented Portugal four years ago, and one of just four surviving Seleção members from Brazil 2014. This will be a fourth major tournament and a second World Cup under manager Fernando Santos, appointed in 2014, and there is a sound possibility that an underwhelming outcome could mean the end of the 68-year-old’s spell in charge of the national team.
Portugal’s squad for the upcoming tournament genuinely oozes world-class quality and they should not be written off as worthy contenders to advance to the latter stages in Qatar. Some of Europe’s very best clubs are home to several of the 26-strong squad selected by head coach Santos.
The Manchester-based quintet of Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, João Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, and Rúben Dias walk into Portugal’s strongest XI. Other high-profile names include João Félix (Atletico Madrid), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), and veteran defender Pepe (Porto) with the 39-year-old set to be involved in a fourth World Cup event.
⚽ 2006
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 12, 2022
⚽ 2010
⚽ 2014
⚽ 2018
❓ 2022
Will @Cristiano become the first male player to score at five World Cups?#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/u4g6abMZmL
Goalkeeper Rui Patrício (Roma) will be faced with stern competition from José Sá (Wolves) and Diogo Costa (Porto). Santos is not short of options at full-back with Diogo Dalot (Man Utd), Nuno Mendes (Paris St-Germain), and Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) all at his disposal.
In midfield, William Carvalho (Real Betis) and João Mário (Benfica) both featured in Russia 2018, while Rúben Neves and Matheus Nunes (both Wolves) are braced for a maiden World Cup bow. Danilo Pereira (PSG) adds additional cover in the engine room.
André Silva (RB Leipzig) and 21-year-old Gonçalo Ramos (Benfica) add excellent depth in attack. Liverpool’s Diogo Jota was omitted due to a calf injury, meanwhile former wonderkid Renato Sanches missed out on selection following a slow start to life at PSG. Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira remains uncapped at senior level.
The Portuguese get their World Cup campaign underway on Thursday, November 24, when they take on Ghana in Doha. Four days later they meet Uruguay before a battle with South Korea to close out Group H.
Portugal are 15.00 to go all the way and win the FIFA World Cup, as per Bet365. Cristiano Ronaldo is 19.00 to score the most goals at Qatar 2022.
Ronaldo have disappointed not only his but we as his fans as well