"He's not the player he was before" - Steve Nicol gives his take on whether Cristiano Ronaldo should be starting for Portugal

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has insisted he would not start Cristiano Ronaldo if he was the manager of the Portugal national team. He reckons Ronaldo is no longer the player he once was and should only be utilized as an option from the bench.

Cristiano Ronaldo has arguably been Portugal's most important player on the international stage, breaking records in terms of goals and appearances. The 40-year-old has bagged 136 goals and 46 assists in 219 appearances across all competitions for A Selecao, helping them win Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League.

However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has often struggled to make an impact when starting matches for Portugal in recent years. While Ronaldo remains a threat in front of goal, his lack of mobility and work-rate of the ball have led to many questioning his role as a starter over other forwards.

During a segment on ESPN, Nicol was asked if he would start Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal between now and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to which he replied:

"No, he's not the player he was before, but one thing I'd say is Portugal are not flush with centre-forwards, which is making it easier for Martinez to play Ronaldo. Yes, Ronaldo should be in the squad but he should be there being an idol to all these players, the guy to show the way, talking to them and motivating them."

He added:

"Yes, if you need a goal with 20 mins to go, who better to throw on than Ronaldo who can maybe produce something from nothing. But to expect him to play 90 mins and be the player he was is absolutely not going to happen. I think that affects everyone around him in that field of play. SO I wouldn't start him, I'd have him in the squad, on the bench and I'd use him when I really needed something but other than that, no absolutely no."

Despite Nicol's comments, Cristiano Ronaldo has been in fine form for Portugal during the 2025 UEFA Nations League, scoring six goals in seven appearances.

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"It’s time for someone else to have a chance" - Didi Hamann calls for Roberto Martinez to drop Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal national team

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has urged Portugal manager Roberto Martinez to drop Cristiano Ronaldo to allow other stars to flourish. He reckons Ronaldo won't be able to have a big impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, given his poor performances at Euro 2024.

Martinez entrusted Ronaldo to lead the line for A Selecao at Euro 2024 last summer. Unfortunately, the Al-Nassr ace scored zero goals and provided one assist in five appearances as Portugal crashed out in the quarter-finals.

Hamann told Cardplayer.com (via GOAL):

"Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence was very limited at the last Euros and I think you have to keep in mind at this World Cup, he is another year older. He still scores goals but they have good forwards like Goncalo Ramos who can’t get a game, I think it’s time for someone else to have a chance to shine in the team. If we see him at the World Cup, I’d be very surprised if he had a big impact."

Martinez would be able to utilize Diogo Jota, Goncalo Ramos, and Joao Felix in Ronaldo's absence.