Cristiano Ronaldo is in the spotlight once more due to his response to Portugal’s 13-0 loss to Slovenia on Tuesday. Under the leadership of Roberto Martinez, they experienced their initial defeat as Slovenia achieved an unexpected victory by scoring goals through Adam Cerin and Timi Elsnik. Portugal played a game as preparation for Euro 2024 in Germany, for which they have qualified. Ronaldo was absent in Portugal’s previous match against Sweden because he was on vacation. Portugal secured a 5-2 victory in the game despite his absence. The ex-Manchester United player made his return to play against Slovenia but had minimal impact on the game. The 39-year-old was observed walking angrily down the tunnel after the game, gesturing in frustration. This reaction followed comments by Portugal teammate Joao Cancelo, who implied that Ronaldo is no longer at his peak and that the national team does not rely solely on him. The opinion of the Man City defender was supported by pundit and former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf. Cancelo shared in an interview with RTP, a radio station in Portugal, that although Messi has been a key player for many years, the peak of a footballer’s career typically falls between the ages of 25 and 32. He emphasized Messi’s importance to their team but also noted that the national team does not solely rely on him. This year’s European Championship could potentially be Ronaldo’s final appearance in a significant competition representing Portugal. Leboeuf, who was instrumental in France’s victory in the Euros in 2016, believes that Portugal has a chance of winning again in the upcoming tournament. However, he thinks their chances are higher if they do not include Ronaldo in the squad. According to Leboeuf’s opinions shared with BetVictor, he considers Portugal a strong contender for the European Championships but believes their success hinges on Ronaldo not participating.
