Is Ronaldo past his prime?

Ronaldo may no longer be the player who can single-handedly carry Portugal through the next round, but he's not yet a name that should be left out of big matches.

Ronaldo remains an icon of world football.

At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo went into the match against Croatia with the familiar question haunting him: was he still fit enough to play at the highest level?

Ronaldo is still there.

That question isn't new. It first appeared at the 2022 World Cup, when Goncalo Ramos started in place of Ronaldo against Switzerland and scored a hat-trick. At that time, many quickly concluded that Ronaldo's time with the national team was over. Ramos was the future. Ronaldo was the past.

But four years later, Ronaldo was still there. Still starting. Still the center forward for Portugal in a World Cup knockout match.

Against Croatia, he didn't play perfectly. He no longer had the same burst of speed as he did in his youth. He couldn't constantly overwhelm the opposing defense with his physical strength and speed. But Ronaldo still possessed something that very few strikers have: the instinct of a killer in the penalty area.

He scored the equalizer from the penalty spot. It was Ronaldo's first goal in the World Cup knockout round after six appearances. The goal came late, and it wasn't from open play. But in a do-or-die match, a goal is still a goal.

Ronaldo scored his first knockout round goal at the World Cup in his sixth appearance at the tournament.

Earlier, Ronaldo had another excellent piece of skill. He made a run, controlled the ball, and chipped it over the Croatian goalkeeper. The goal was disallowed due to a very close offside call. But that moment was enough to remind everyone that Ronaldo hasn't lost his instinct. In just a split second, he can still cause chaos in the opponent's goal.

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Therefore, saying Ronaldo is past his prime is too easy. And also too hasty.

But Portugal can't just wait for Ronaldo.

The most painful moment of the night in Toronto came in the 81st minute. Roberto Martinez substituted Ronaldo off the field. For an average player, that's a substitution. For Ronaldo, it was a turning point in time.

For over 20 years, whenever Portugal needed a goal, they looked to Ronaldo. He was a habit, a belief, a name that struck fear into opponents. But this time, with the match still undecided, Ronaldo had to leave the field and watch someone else decide the fate of the national team.

He was slightly surprised. Perhaps also disappointed. That's very human. No one who has lived for so long as a hero would easily accept that they are no longer the final choice.

Then Goncalo Ramos scored.

Ramos's header in injury time gave Portugal a 2-1 victory over Croatia. That moment saved the team, overturned Martinez's decision, and revealed a new truth: Portugal still needs Ronaldo, but they can't rely solely on him.

That's not a denial of Ronaldo. It's about the maturity of a national team.

Ronaldo left the field in the 81st minute, before Ramos scored the winning goal for Portugal.

Ronaldo still has value. He has experience, composure, mental strength, and the ability to make opponents wary. But he's no longer the player Portugal can automatically keep on the field in every situation. There are times when the team needs new legs. They need someone else to burst into the penalty area. They need a Ramos to finish the game.

That night, Ronaldo experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. He scored. He was substituted. He watched anxiously as Croatia repeatedly put the ball into the net only to have it disallowed by VAR. He erupted with joy when Portugal advanced. And he shed tears as he donned the number 21 shirt in memory of Diogo Jota.

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That image makes the question "Is Ronaldo past his prime?" harder to answer. If "past his prime" means he's no longer dominating matches alone, then perhaps that's true. The era when Ronaldo single-handedly carried the team through every storm is behind him.

But if "past its prime" means no longer having value, no longer being dangerous, and no longer having a place in big matches, then that's not the case.

Ronaldo isn't finished yet. He just isn't everything anymore.

And perhaps that's what Portugal needs most right now: a Ronaldo who is still great enough to inspire confidence, but a team strong enough not to crumble when he leaves the field.

Source: https://znews.vn/ronaldo-het-thoi-chua-post1665529.html