Whether you like it or not, Cristiano Ronaldo is always the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to this Portugal team. The number of fans wearing his name on their jersey is around 10 times that of other players. His name was roared with the volume of a goal during the reading of the compositions and they applauded his every touch during the warm-up. The cult of Ronaldo is alive and well.
But now that he’s 39 and playing in Saudi Arabia, the 27th best league in the world, could he still succeed in an international tournament?
Well, he was much more involved in the game than during the 2022 World Cup, when he was so ineffective that he was dropped. He was also, very clearly, the leader and talisman of the team.
GO FURTHER
Portugal 2 Czech Republic 1: Dramatic late winner boosts Cristiano Ronaldo and Co
