Portuguese icon, Cristiano Ronaldo has been informed that he is finished by his national teammate, Joao Cancelo, ahead of their friendly games against Sweden and Slovenia.
Joao Cancelo sparked viral reaction when he told reporters that the former Real Madrid forward has passed his peak as a footballer and that the national team doesn't depend entirely on him.
What happened?
Former Man United star Ronaldo won't feature in Portugal's friendly game against Sweden on Thursday, March 21 at Afonso Henriques Stadium in Guimaraes due to a decision by the coaching staff to give him some rest.
The Saudi Pro League is presently on halt due to the international break and Ronaldo has been given some time off to go on holiday with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his family before returning for the Slovenia clash on Tuesday, March 26th at Ljubljana.
However, Cancelo's statements about the 2016 Euro winner when asked about his importance to the team might not have settled well with the former Juventus star, after suggesting his team-mates did not rely on the five time Ballon d'Or winner.
The former Manchester City full-back claimed Ronaldo was still important but insisted he has now past his best.
Speaking on Portuguese radio station, Cancelo said; "He is an important player and spent 15 years competing with Messi for the Ballon d'Or, but the peak of a footballer's career is between the ages of 25 and 32".
He added; "He (Ronaldo) is an important player for us, but the national team does not depend entirely on him".
Recall that Ronaldo celebrated his 39th birthday in February 2024 but has shown no signs of slowing down, ending 2023 as the top male goalscorer in the world after scoring 54 goals.
Meanwhile, the former Sporting CP star will be going for glory again in the summer with Portugal at Euro 2024 in Germany.
The five-time Champions League winner who joined Al-Nassr in November 2022 has unsurprisingly stayed in the headlines in recent years since his explosive departure from Man United.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner came under fire during the 2022 FIFA World Cup after being filmed leaving the field early after being dropped during a group stage game and reportedly fell out with former Portugal manager Fernando Santos.
Since Portugal parted ways with Santos and appointed Martinez, the former Belgium boss has consistently indicated Ronaldo remains in his plans as he said his contagious hunger was keeping him in contention.
Martinez said; "I've worked with many, but what sets Cristiano apart is the need to always be prepared to be the best. A contagious hunger, but very difficult to achieve."
Ronaldo, who reached a landmark of 50 goals with Al-Nassr last week, has also been in the limelight for the wrong reasons this season.
Earlier this month, the ex-Man United star suffered a match ban in the Saudi Pro League for 'provoking' Al-Shabab supporters with an offensive gesture, having been prompted by chants of 'Messi, Messi'.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo is Portugal's top scorer of all time with 128 goals and also has their highest number of caps (205).
Meanwhile, he is bidding to finish his storied career with 1,000 goals while he's currently on 879 goals.
What's next for Ronaldo?
The 39-year-old will be seen next in action when Portugal lock horns with Slovenia on Tuesday, March 26th at Ljubljana.
In addition, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will extend his goal tally on Tuesday night.
Joao Cancelo sparked viral reaction when he told reporters that the former Real Madrid forward has passed his peak as a footballer and that the national team doesn't depend entirely on him.
What happened?
Former Man United star Ronaldo won't feature in Portugal's friendly game against Sweden on Thursday, March 21 at Afonso Henriques Stadium in Guimaraes due to a decision by the coaching staff to give him some rest.
The Saudi Pro League is presently on halt due to the international break and Ronaldo has been given some time off to go on holiday with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his family before returning for the Slovenia clash on Tuesday, March 26th at Ljubljana.
However, Cancelo's statements about the 2016 Euro winner when asked about his importance to the team might not have settled well with the former Juventus star, after suggesting his team-mates did not rely on the five time Ballon d'Or winner.
The former Manchester City full-back claimed Ronaldo was still important but insisted he has now past his best.
Speaking on Portuguese radio station, Cancelo said; "He is an important player and spent 15 years competing with Messi for the Ballon d'Or, but the peak of a footballer's career is between the ages of 25 and 32".
He added; "He (Ronaldo) is an important player for us, but the national team does not depend entirely on him".
Recall that Ronaldo celebrated his 39th birthday in February 2024 but has shown no signs of slowing down, ending 2023 as the top male goalscorer in the world after scoring 54 goals.
Meanwhile, the former Sporting CP star will be going for glory again in the summer with Portugal at Euro 2024 in Germany.
The five-time Champions League winner who joined Al-Nassr in November 2022 has unsurprisingly stayed in the headlines in recent years since his explosive departure from Man United.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner came under fire during the 2022 FIFA World Cup after being filmed leaving the field early after being dropped during a group stage game and reportedly fell out with former Portugal manager Fernando Santos.
Since Portugal parted ways with Santos and appointed Martinez, the former Belgium boss has consistently indicated Ronaldo remains in his plans as he said his contagious hunger was keeping him in contention.
Martinez said; "I've worked with many, but what sets Cristiano apart is the need to always be prepared to be the best. A contagious hunger, but very difficult to achieve."
Ronaldo, who reached a landmark of 50 goals with Al-Nassr last week, has also been in the limelight for the wrong reasons this season.
Earlier this month, the ex-Man United star suffered a match ban in the Saudi Pro League for 'provoking' Al-Shabab supporters with an offensive gesture, having been prompted by chants of 'Messi, Messi'.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo is Portugal's top scorer of all time with 128 goals and also has their highest number of caps (205).
Meanwhile, he is bidding to finish his storied career with 1,000 goals while he's currently on 879 goals.
What's next for Ronaldo?
The 39-year-old will be seen next in action when Portugal lock horns with Slovenia on Tuesday, March 26th at Ljubljana.
In addition, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will extend his goal tally on Tuesday night.
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