Joao Cancelo shockingly claims Cristiano Ronaldo is well beyond his ‘peak’ as he says Portugal ‘do not depend entirely’ on Al-Nassr striker.
Cancelo, the Portuguese defender, has emphasized that the national squad doesn’t rely solely on Cristiano Ronaldo, despite the veteran player’s impressive performance.
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Ronaldo, who turned 39 in February, continues to defy age, finishing 2023 as the leading goalscorer globally with 54 goals.
As Portugal prepares for Euro 2024 this summer, Cancelo has highlighted that the team’s success isn’t just hinged on the celebrated captain, who currently plays for Al-Nassr.
He told Portuguese network RTP: “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 is an important player for us, but the national team does not depend entirely on him.”
While Cristiano Ronaldo may not be at the zenith of his career, he’s expected to be a pivotal figure for Portugal in the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament hosted in Germany.
Ronaldo’s performance during the qualifiers was remarkable, surpassing the likes of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe with 10 goals, contributing to Portugal’s flawless record under Roberto Martinez’s leadership.
Martinez’s roster, however, is not short of talent, boasting skilled attackers such as Bruno Fernandes, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leao.
Ronaldo, along with Joao Cancelo, is part of a group of Portuguese players given a break for the upcoming friendly against Sweden on Thursday. They are scheduled to rejoin the team for the subsequent match against Slovenia the following Tuesday.
