Cristiano Ronaldo has done almost everything in soccer. Thirty-seven trophies. Five Ballon d’Ors. More than 900 career goals. But that one thing Lionel Messi has that he doesn’t? The World Cup. And at 41 years old, this summer in the U.S. might be his last real shot.
Problem is, Portugal’s first group game did not go the way Ronaldo wanted. He started against DR Congo and more or less disappeared. Zero chances created. Zero shots. Zero successful dribbles. Zero duels won in the first half. For a guy who built his legend on decisive moments, that stat line is brutal.
So when his old boss at Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, sat down as a pundit for the Dutch broadcaster NOS and was asked about Ronaldo’s current form, the answer was honest but cutting. Ten Hag said they haven’t spoken since Ronaldo left Old Trafford after that explosive Piers Morgan interview. Then he said something that stings more: “At a certain point, and that is simply nature, it stops.”
He meant Ronaldo’s ability to dominate at the highest level.
Ten Hag’s Take on Ronaldo at the World Cup
Ten Hag wasn’t done. He pointed out that Portugal has an absurdly talented squad — guys like Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leão, João Félix. The kind of team that should walk into the semifinals without breaking a sweat. But the question is whether Ronaldo fits.
“Portugal actually has such an incredibly good team. They really should definitely reach the last four. But I wonder: with Ronaldo, that is the big challenge, of course. Will it fit?”
That’s the same tension that wrecked their relationship at United. Ten Hag benched Ronaldo because the team came first. Ronaldo hated it. He went public, called the manager disrespectful, and got his contract terminated. Now the whole world gets to watch whether that same dynamic plays out on the international stage.
Ten Hag did give Ronaldo a sliver of hope, though. He noted this isn’t the Premier League or the Champions League. The World Cup, even at this level, is a different animal. Fewer games per week. Less physical grind. More room for a veteran to pick his spots.
“I think he has a bit more of a chance at a World Cup like this, because it isn’t the Premier League in terms of intensity, nor is it the Champions League. So I believe he is still capable of something.”
The Messi Shadow and the Saudi Side Quest
Ronaldo came into this tournament after winning the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr, his first trophy in five years. He scored 30 goals in 37 appearances. On paper, that’s vintage Ronaldo. But context matters. The Saudi league isn’t exactly a gauntlet. Ronaldo also went on strike in February over a transfer dispute with the league’s ownership structure. He makes roughly £500,000 a day. It’s hard to sell the “hungry underdog” narrative with that kind of bankroll.
But what really drives him? Probably the fact that Messi lifted that golden trophy in Qatar four years ago. Ronaldo watched it happen. He knows the debate about who is the greatest ever tilts on this one silver piece of hardware. He had one goal at the 2022 World Cup and lost his starting job to Gonçalo Ramos. He went blank at Euro 2024 as Portugal got bounced in the quarterfinals.
Portugal faces Uzbekistan next in group play. It’s a game Ronaldo should dominate if he has anything left. If he doesn’t, the questions get louder. And Erik ten Hag, from the pundit chair, will already have his answer ready.
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