"No, he's being used because he performs well."
Former Manchester United defender and commentator Rio Ferdinand said on the 13th (Korea time), "It's nonsense to say that Cristiano Ronaldo starting blocks the path of promising Portuguese attackers," adding, "In the first place, Ronaldo is being continuously used because he is the best among attackers."
Portugal won the championship after a dramatic 5-3 win on penalties against Spain following a 2-2 draw in the final of the 2024-2025 UEFA Nations League held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 9th. This marked Portugal's first trophy in six years since they initially won in 2019.
Ronaldo started the match and netted Portugal's second goal. He showed his prowess by scoring a dramatic equalizer in the 61st minute after Portugal was trailing 1-2. With this goal, Ronaldo recorded his 138th international goal, continuing his overwhelming performance.
Portugal, entering the penalty shootout without Ronaldo, eventually defeated Spain 5-3, securing the championship trophy. This is Portugal's second Nations League title.
Ronaldo cheered on his teammates during the penalty shootout. Once the victory was confirmed, he knelt on the ground for a while, shedding tears. Ronaldo expressed his emotions for Portugal's victory with tears of joy, temporarily silencing recent transfer rumors.
Ronaldo left Europe for Saudi Arabia after signing with Al Nassr at the end of 2022. He has scored 93 goals in 105 matches over two seasons. This season, he has continued to demonstrate his scoring prowess by becoming the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League.
Despite this, rumors have spread that Ronaldo might transfer to a European or South American club to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup. Ultimately, he expressed his intention to remain, quelling the speculation.
After the match, Ronaldo noted, “Winning for my country is always special. I would be okay if my legs broke for my country,” and about his first confrontation with the formidable teenager Yamal, he advised, “When one era passes, another comes. It’s good to see the growth of the new generation. I hope Yamal is allowed to grow without pressure. That way, we can enjoy his talent for a long time.”
Meanwhile, there are claims within the Portuguese national team that regardless of how well Ronaldo performs, he should make way for younger attackers. Although Ronaldo has brought the team victory by scoring eight goals in this UNL A group, it is said that he should give his place to attackers like Gonçalo Ramos since he cannot maintain this pace.
Ferdinand lightly dismissed this controversy. He questioned, "I can't believe Ramos is better than Ronaldo. He's just a bench player at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)," and added, "Ronaldo scored only two goals against Germany in the semifinals and Spain in the finals. Should such a player give up his position because of age?"
Indeed, Ronaldo was benched during the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, but he returned to starting after Roberto Martínez took over as coach. Ferdinand pointed out, "I don’t understand the logic of judging a player's value by age. He has scored 43 goals this season alone."
Ferdinand emphasized, "When the 2026 North America World Cup is held, he will be 41 years old. Scientifically, it could be said that continuing to play at that level at his age is impossible," but he also noted, "However, Ronaldo is overcoming all of that, so it's hard to say."
Still, while Ronaldo's decisiveness and movement remain sharp, his activity levels and other aspects have diminished compared to before. Ferdinand suggested, "If I were the Portugal coach, I would limit Ronaldo's playing time. He cannot play full-time in every match and fully sustain the tournament."
He continued, "If I were the Portugal coach, I would select matches suitable for Ronaldo by restricting his playing time. Then I am confident he will score. And it’s not because I think he can’t score if I limit his playing time. He is still an influential player and can score goals, which is why we need to manage him carefully."
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