“He just can’t do it anymore” - Ex-Chelsea star delivers bold verdict on Cristiano Ronaldo at 2026 World Cup after watching Denmark clash

Former Chelsea star Craig Burley has offered his thoughts on whether Cristiano Ronaldo should play for Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The pundit believes the five-time Ballon d'Or winner no longer has what it takes to perform at the highest level in international football.

Portugal secured a spot in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after their win over Denmark in the quarter-finals this weekend. Roberto Martinez's men suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg against the Danish, with Cristiano Ronaldo struggling to make an impact.

However, during the second leg, Portugal pulled off a 5-2 win over Denmark. Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in the opening five minutes but redeemed himself with an excellent second-half strike, scoring Portugal's second goal of the night.

Speaking on ESPN, former Chelsea star Burley praised the 40-year-old for his display but questioned whether he could start for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.

He said:

“To be still going at this age is incredible. But will a 41 and half year old be able to lead the line in the 2026 World Cup for one of the most talented teams in the tournament? Bearing in mind the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Euros, we had evidence that at this level, he just can’t do it anymore.

“Maybe you can put him on the bench, but then there’s a pressure on the manager about why he’s not playing Ronaldo. I think it lacks foresight from Roberto Martinez just to continue selecting him. Even if he gets the odd goal, and he does that, but there is a body of evidence and I’m not making this up, in the last two major tournaments, he was either dropped or he struggled."

“If you’re the manager, you have to look at yourself and say, what am I going to do in America, Canada and Mexico? How am I going to deal with this? Am I going to bury my head in the sand and say, ‘If he wants to play for Portugal, I’m going to play him’. That’s a recipe for you winning nothing and not being competitive.”

Portugal will face Germany in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals on June 4.

Chelsea legend explains why Cristiano Ronaldo shouldn't play at 2026 World Cup

Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is firmly against the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo playing at the 2026 World Cup. The Dutchman insists that Ronaldo is ruining his legacy by continuing to play for Portugal at his age.

He said (via GOAL):

"Football doesn't need Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup."

"I think, at the moment, he’s doing himself more harm than good to be playing for Portugal still – it’s impacting his legacy."

The former Chelsea striker added, boldly claiming that Ronaldo should retire when Lionel Messi hangs up his boots as well.

"There comes a time when you have to hang the boots up. I think that time will come when Messi stops. I think when Messi decides to call it a day, so will Ronaldo."