Portugal may have secured a dramatic place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, but their victory over Croatia reignited the debate Cristiano RonaldoThe starting eleven place after legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave a glowing assessment of the veteran striker. Speaking as a Fox Sports pundit, Ibrahimovic questioned whether Roberto Martinez’s team could realistically challenge for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they continue to build their attack around the 41-year-old. Ronaldo. “The fans of Portugal could have expected what will happen. You can’t expect to win anything in 2026 with Cristiano Ronaldo of 41 years leading the attack. Especially since Ramos is on the bench, having come and scored,” said Ibrahimovic. The former AC Milan and Manchester United star has argued that Ronaldo’s place in the side is driven more by his legendary status than his current performances. Ibrahimovic believes the Portuguese captain no longer possesses the movement or finishing ability that once made him one of football’s most feared strikers. “This is not “legendary leadership”. It is the ego that holds the team hostage. Ronaldo has lost touch and mobility. Now he is right in the box… At this point, his aura supports him more than his legs. To continue to start him is pure madness driven by nostalgia,” he added. The criticism came despite Portugal producing a thrilling late comeback against Croatia to book a last 16 meeting with Spain. Croatia looked on course for victory after Ivan Perisic opened the scoring, but Ronaldo brought Portugal level from the penalty spot. The goal was an important personal milestone, marking his first strike in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup during his record sixth appearance in the tournament. With extra time seemingly inevitable, Portugal found a dramatic winner in the 94th minute. Rafael Leão delivered a cross into the box and Gonçalo Ramos headed home the decisive goal, sending Martinez’s side to a 2-1 victory. Croatia thought they had forced extra time in stoppage time when Josko Gvardiol put the ball into the net from a goalmouth scramble. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the officials ruled Igor Matanovic offside in the build-up, disallowing the goal and preserving Portugal’s lead. The result extended Portugal’s unbeaten record against Croatia in competitive matches and set up a huge round of 16 clash against Spain on July 7 (12:30 AM local time). Although Portugal advanced, the performance did little to quell the debate over Ronaldo’s role in the team. Ibrahimovic’s remarks only intensified that conversation, with the big Swede insisting that Portugal’s ambitions of lifting the World Cup could be undermined if they continue to rely on their iconic winger as the focal point of the attack.
