Cristiano Ronaldo’s former teammate, Hugo Almeida, has urged fans to lower their expectations regarding the five-time Ballon d’Or winner ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to feature in a record sixth FIFA World Cup while hoping to help Portugal national football team win their first-ever World Cup title. Speaking to Lusa, as quoted by GOAL, Hugo Almeida expressed confidence that Ronaldo will enter the tournament in “good form.”
“The age isn’t a problem, today we see many players at 39, 40, 41 years old arriving in great shape,” Almeida said. “Ronaldo prepares himself better and better and it is the competition that is missing from his curriculum and which he has been chasing for a long time. I believe he will arrive in good form.”
While Almeida dismissed concerns about Ronaldo’s age, he stressed that fans should not expect the same level of output typically seen from players between 20 and 30 years old from the 41-year-old. Instead, he noted that the Al-Nassr forward’s experience will be invaluable for the Portugal national football team at the FIFA World Cup.
“Now, we cannot expect a Ronaldo as loose as when he was 20 or 30 years old, but he is very experienced, the best of all time, and he makes the difference, without a doubt,” Almeida added.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal national football team reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they were eliminated by Morocco national football team.
They have been placed in Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside DR Congo national football team, Uzbekistan national football team, and Colombia national football team.
“Ronaldo makes the difference” – Almeida offers opinion on Portugal team selection
Almeida further opined that while Cristiano Ronaldo may be in the twilight of his career, he remains a difference-maker for the national team.
There have also been suggestions that Ronaldo should be dropped from the Portugal national football team, with critics arguing that his continued presence limits opportunities for younger players to gain playing time.
Speaking on the matter, Almeida expressed confidence in head coach Roberto Martínez’s selections, insisting that the Spaniard “chose who gave him more guarantees.”
“The coach knows very well what he is going to do and has been preparing for the competition for a long time. He chose who gave him more guarantees, that is the most important thing,” Almeida concluded.
“He could have a more fixed striker, but Portugal national football team never play with fixed strikers. Gonçalo Ramos has been doing well and Cristiano Ronaldo makes the difference from one moment to the next.”
Ronaldo holds the record for Portugal’s most capped player and all-time leading scorer.
