Figo: 'Some Portuguese players don't want Ronaldo in the team'

Figo: 'Some Portuguese players don't want Ronaldo in the team'

Former midfielder Luis Figo is unhappy that some Portuguese national team players apparently do not want Cristiano Ronaldo to be part of the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Ronaldo has started all four matches so far in the 2026 World Cup, but there are opinions that the Portuguese national team would play more fluidly without the 41-year-old captain. Luis Figo opposes that view. The 2000 Ballon d'Or winner believes that the criticism directed at Ronaldo does not reflect the true value of the striker who holds the record for most national team goals.

"There are players who clearly don't want Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad. Maybe they think he's holding them back," the German newspaper Welt quoted Figo as saying on July 5. "Cristiano has carried the team for many years and deserves respect. When Cristiano was first called up to the national team, he always respected his seniors. The current generation is different. But what have they achieved? Nothing yet."

Ronaldo debuted for Portugal in 2003, helping the team win the first three major titles in its history, including Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. The former Man Utd and Real Madrid star holds the record for scoring in 6 different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026), and is the highest-scoring Portuguese player in the tournament (10 goals).

However, in recent years, there have always been debates about Ronaldo's influence on the national team. For example, after Portugal's two biggest victories in history in September 2023 (9-0 win against Luxembourg) and November 2025 (9-1 win against Armenia), Ronaldo was absent. Although the opponents were not highly rated, those results still made many question whether Portugal's talented squad could reach its full potential without depending on Ronaldo.

Many stars like Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Rafael Leao play leadership roles at their clubs. Diogo Costa is the captain of Porto, Fernandes wears the captain's armband for Man Utd, Vitinha has won the Champions League twice with PSG, and Ruben Dias has been crowned champion with Man City. However, when wearing the national team jersey, all eyes still primarily focus on Ronaldo.

Critics argue that this makes it difficult for the other stars to showcase their full qualities. Conversely, Figo believes that playing alongside an experienced and accomplished player like Ronaldo is an advantage, not an obstacle.

The 2026 World Cup has also brought about mixed arguments. In the 2-1 victory against Croatia in the Round of 32, Ronaldo equalized from a penalty before leaving the field. The decisive goal was scored by Goncalo Ramos in stoppage time, helping Portugal secure a place in the Round of 16.

This is not the first time Ramos has replaced Ronaldo well in a major tournament. At the 2022 World Cup, when coach Fernando Santos benched Ronaldo against Switzerland, Ramos scored a hat-trick, and Portugal won 6-1 with a dominant performance.

After replacing Santos, Roberto Martinez chose a different approach. The Spanish coach has placed absolute faith in Ronaldo and has often cited statistics showing the striker scored 25 goals in 31 matches under him before the 2026 World Cup kicked off. "We are talking about the greatest player in history," Martinez asserted. "Cristiano is here because he is still playing at the highest level, not because of what he has done in the past."

Nevertheless, after the 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the opening match, Portuguese media reported rumors of a lack of cohesion in the locker room, with reasons related to Ronaldo. Martinez continued to deny this assertion. "We have a very good emotional balance in the locker room. Everyone understands their responsibilities and is committed to maintaining high standards," said the Portuguese national team coach.

In the tournament held in North America, Ronaldo scored his first knockout stage World Cup goal with a penalty against Croatia. With a total of 11 World Cup goals, he surpassed legend Eusebio to become the highest-scoring Portuguese player in the history of the tournament.

However, not all Portuguese football legends stand with Ronaldo. Antonio Simoes, a member of the team that won third place at the 1966 World Cup with Eusebio, disagrees with placing Ronaldo on par with his former teammate. "He doesn't play to win. He plays to be the center of attention," commented Simoes, 82. "That is completely opposite to Eusebio. I have no ill feelings towards Ronaldo, but things need to be called by their right names."