“You have to deal with him differently” - Ex-Manchester United star on Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘character’ ahead of Euro 2024 with Portugal

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes Cristiano Ronaldo could be a key figure for Portugal in the upcoming Euro 2024 if utilized appropriately. At 39 years of age, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is well past his prime but is still influential for his team.

After completing his expedites in top clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, the Portuguese icon now finds himself plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League, playing for Al-Nassr.

However, despite his age, Ronaldo hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. The prolific forward has scored 32 goals in 27 league games. He has also netted six goals in the AFC Champions League.

His consistent performances have raised speculation about his potential impact in the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. Former French striker and a teammate of Ronaldo at Manchester United, Louis Saha believes the same.

In a recent interview with OLBG, Saha expressed his confidence in Ronaldo's ability to contribute to Portugal's success, highlighting his unparalleled mental strength and leadership qualities. He remarked:

"He will have to be managed differently than he has been over the years, but Cristiano Ronaldo is definitely still one of the best strikers in the world because he's so focused."

The former France international stressed the significance of Cristiano Ronaldo's influence on his teammates, noting that he maintains high standards and motivates others to perform at their best. However, he also admitted:

“Also for getting his team-mates to play at 100%, he doesn’t allow anyone to drop under that standard because he is still so motivated to win trophies and to win another trophy with his country.

“That's a great asset for the manager, but you have to deal with him differently because he's such a character."

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Cristiano Ronaldo is "one of the guarantees" for Portugal, believes Louis Saha

Saha emphasized Ronaldo's prowess in front of the goal and his ability to create space for teammates with his intelligent movement. The 45-year-old added:

“In terms of scoring goals he’s the best in the box, the way he makes his runs attracts plenty of attention to make space for his team-mates too, sometimes the character can be difficult to manage which leads to debate but I think he is one of the guarantees Portugal need in their squad.

“It's a guarantee that he’s going to score goals. I am convinced the manager understands that and respects that."

At the same time, however, Louis Saha cautioned against expecting Ronaldo to shoulder the entire burden and urged for a collaborative approach within the national team setup. He added:

“If Ronaldo thinks he’s going to have a pivotal role and play every minute then I think that’s wrong, he has to understand that he is sharing the responsibility and that’s his way forward in the national team."

Since making his international debut in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo has netted 128 goals for Portugal. He was pivotal in the team's successful Euro 2016 campaign.