Are Portugal better without Ronaldo?

Article excerpt

Portugal's national team has won major tournaments and qualified for the World Cup with Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined or playing reduced roles in recent years, prompting debate about whether the aging superstar's presence strengthens or limits the squad. The question isn't whether Ronaldo remains a world-class talent, he does, but whether his diminished athleticism and the tactical accommodations required to field him represent a net gain or loss for a team that has performed well without him anchoring the lineup. As he prepares for a sixth World Cup at 39, Portugal's coaching staff and analysts are weighing familiar calculus: star power and experience against fitness, mobility, and modern demands of elite football.