Cristiano Ronaldo is gearing up for his last dance. The legendary Portuguese captain will step onto the storied World Cup stage for a record-breaking sixth and final time at the age of 41 this summer. And the veteran striker is aiming to bow out on top.
The Seleção have never won the World Cup. Not with their iconic talisman and certainly not without. CR7 did lead his beloved country to its first-ever piece of major silverware by winning Euro 2016 a decade ago, and he has also scooped up two Nations League titles in the years since. But now he would look to somehow lead Portugal to a maiden World Cup crown this summer, and put his name back up there with long-term rival Lionel Messi in the process.
Ronaldo’s hunt for glory
Messi famously led Argentina to the title in Qatar four years ago, marking the first time that the former Barcelona superstar had ever lifted the World Cup. Many are of the belief that triumph at the ripe old age of 36 cemented his legacy as the greatest player that’s ever lived, ahead of Ronaldo, as well as both Diego Maradona and Pelé. If CR7 can replicate that achievement at the even riper age of 41, surely no one will be able to discount his claim to the GOAT throne either.
Online betting sites certainly think he has a chance. The latest World Cup odds make Ronaldo and Portugal an 11/1 contender this summer, narrowly behind 8/1 shots Argentina. However, both of them sit well behind outright favourites Spain (9/2), France (5/1) and England (6/1).
Regardless of whether Portugal go all the way or not, this summer will almost certainly represent the final time that the great Ronaldo does strut his stuff on the grandest stage. He has hinted in the past at trying to stretch his career out to Euro 2028 in two years’ time, but if he doesn’t, who are the leading candidates to replace him as Portugal’s main man? Let’s take a look at the candidates.
Gonçalo Ramos leads the way
The most likely option is Paris Saint-Germain man Gonçalo Ramos. The young striker famously replaced Ronaldo as a starter at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and immediately smashed a hat-trick in his first start in the 6-1 round of 16 drubbing of Switzerland. He wouldn’t, however, find the back of the net in the quarterfinal against Morocco, and Ronaldo would have to come off the bench in a bid to rescue his nation once again. Ultimately, he couldn’t, and the Atlas Lions emerged with a shock 1-0 win.
Since then, Ramos has had to settle for a bit-part role both for club and country. The former Benfica youngster is firmly behind Ronaldo in the Portuguese pecking order, with manager Roberto Martínez still a massive fan of what CR7 brings to his team. At club level, reigning Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé is the main man with PSG, with Ramos still starting plenty of Ligue 1 games against weaker opposition, while the Frenchman starts the more high-profile fixtures.
He is likely to be first in line for a crack at Portugal’s main striking berth. It is up to him to deliver. If he doesn’t, he may well find himself back on the bench once again.
João Félix’s potential redemption arc
João Félix was the next great hope for Portuguese football. He burst onto the scene as a teenager with Benfica, netting 20 goals in his breakout 2018/19 season at just 19 years of age. That secured him a blockbuster €126m move to Atletico Madrid in a deal that remains the fourth largest transfer in football history. But since then, the Portugal international’s career has stagnated.
Félix had loan stints with Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan, before moving to Stamford Bridge permanently in the summer of 2024. He would make just 12 Premier League appearances in his permanent stint in West London, scoring one goal, and before long, he was off to join Ronaldo at Al Nassr. The 26-year-old has rediscovered some form in Saudi Arabia, netting 26 goals in all appearances this term as he looks to lead the Riyadh club to the Pro League title.
Those goals, however, have come against lesser opposition, and Roberto Martínez knows it. Félix has started just three games since Euro 2024 and has never truly looked like deserving a long-term starting berth. Still, once Ronaldo hangs up his international boots, Portugal will need someone to step up to the plate, and Félix is certainly worthy of an opportunity to prove himself. He may well have to see how Ramos fares first, though.
Fábio Silva has time on his side
English outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers forked out a club record fee of €40m to sign Fábio Silva back in 2020, even though he was just 18 years of age and had scored just one league goal for former club FC Porto. To say the move didn’t work out would be an understatement.
The young striker would manage just five goals in 73 appearances in all competitions in the West Midlands before embarking on loan spells to Aberdeen, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers and Las Palmas. Now, he finds himself with German giants Borussia Dortmund, but he is very much a backup option behind the talismanic Serhou Guirassy.
Could he start for Portugal once Ronaldo departs? It’s unlikely. He has made just one appearance for the Seleção, and both Ramos and Félix are well ahead of him in the pecking order. However, at just 23 years of age, he does have time on his side, and if he can start scoring goals regularly in the Bundesliga next term, his name will almost certainly come into national team contention.
