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Former Portugal assistant coach Manuel Gomes, commonly known as Professor Neca, has opined that the Selecao need to make the most of Cristiano Ronaldo until he retires from international football.
Ronaldo, 38, saw his influence in the Portugal national team diminish during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Then-manager Fernando Santos dropped the forward to the bench for the team's knockout games against Switzerland and Morocco.
Roberto Martinez reinstated Ronaldo in the starting lineup immediately after taking charge as the new Selecao coach. The superstar bagged braces in the team's 2024 European Champions qualifier wins against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg in March.
The Al-Nassr captain was unsurprisingly named in Portugal's squad for their upcoming games against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland. However, at 38, he is nearing the end of his illustrious career.
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Addressing Ronaldo's future, Neca admitted that the forward is past his prime but added that he still has a lot to offer.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is an icon of the national team and world football," Neca told Portuguese outlet Desporto ao Minuto. "A player who is no longer 28 years old, but is a sublime and exceptional professional. He is a player who has broken all records and we are saddened that he is no longer 30 years old, but time passes for everyone."
The former Portugal assistant coach reckons Ronaldo will know when it is the right time to call it quits on his international career.
"Ronaldo is part of our heritage and I believe he will be smart enough to understand the day when he has to say goodbye to the national team," Neca added. "Joao Mario found his time to say goodbye to the national team. Cristiano Ronaldo will also find his time, but he still thinks he can add something to the group."
Neca added that Portugal should take advantage of Ronaldo's presence until he decides to hang up his boots.
"Now, no one has any doubts that Ronaldo will have the intelligence to put that decision on the table. At this moment, it is still time for us to take advantage of him in our national team," the coach concluded.
Neca briefly serves as the Portugal national team's assistant coach in 2002. Ronaldo, meanwhile, made his senior debut for the Selecao in their 1-0 win against Kazakhstan in a friendly briefly after joining Manchester United in August 2003.
Cristiano Ronaldo's journey with Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo has played 198 games across competitions for Portugal and is the most capped player in international football. He has 122 goals to his name and is thus the highest scorer internationally.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has participated in 11 major tournaments for the Selecao, including five FIFA World Cups. He led the team to UEFA European Championship glory in 2016. It was the first major trophy that Portugal won in their history.
Cristiano Ronaldo bagged two goals and three assists in seven games for Portugal at the 2016 Euros. He also converted his spot-kick when they beat Poland 5-4 on penalties in the quarterfinals.
The former Real Madrid superstar then won the UEFA Nations League with the Selecao in its inaugural season. He helped the team beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the final in Porto to lift the trophy. He scored a hat-trick in Portugal's 3-1 win against Switzerland int he semifinals.
