The World Cup is finally here, and for both Portugal and their iconic captain, the tournament will be a monumental one. This summer’s showpiece marks a record-breaking sixth appearance on the grandest stage for the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. And at the age of 41, it will almost certainly be his last.
The great CR7 is the only man in World Cup history to have ever scored at five separate tournaments. Should he find the back of the net this summer, he will push that record out to six, a number that will likely stand the test of time. It has been 20 long years since Ronaldo and Portugal last made it to the semifinals, coming in the superstar striker’s first-ever venture onto this storied stage back in 2006. Online betting sites think that the Selecao could well make it that far this summer as well.
One can bet on FIFA World Cup at various platforms, and many betting giants currently list the Portuguese as an 8/1 joint fourth-favourite to lift the trophy for the first time ever this summer. Only Spain (9/2), France (5/1), and England (6/1) are considered more likely to leave MetLife Stadium on July 19th with the trophy in tow.
But if they are to do that, then they will need someone sticking the ball in the back of the net with regular aplomb. Luckily, they have the greatest goalscorer of all-time leading the line in the form of the great Ronaldo, but who do the bookies think will top score for Portugal this summer? Their iconic captain, or someone else entirely? Let’s take a look.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Of course, it could only be Cristiano. The bookies currently list him as the clear 6/5 frontrunner to top-score for Roberto Martinez’s men this summer, and one look at his monstrous scoring record over the last two decades shows you exactly why.
Ronaldo has netted a mighty 973 goals throughout his 23-year career, with 143 of those coming for the national team. Eight of those have come across five different World Cups, and he harbors an outside shot of beating Miroslav Klose’s all-time record this summer. That said, he would need to net at a rate of a goal per game from the group stage to the final to do that.
While that might just be slightly out of touch, he will fancy himself to finish as Portugal’s top scorer this summer. Manager Martinez has made it abundantly clear just how important his captain remains, even though he has slowed down somewhat in recent years, and his pressing ability is practically non-existent. Still, he is expected to start every game, and with group stage clashes with Uzbekistan and DR Congo to come, he will fancy his chances of racking up plenty of goals.
Bruno Fernandes
Should Cristiano struggle to find the net, something that he has seldom done throughout his career, then Bruno Fernandes could well finish as Portugal’s top scorer at odds of 7/2. The attacking midfielder has just enjoyed a record-breaking season for Manchester United, albeit for assists rather than goals. His 21 assists in the Premier League secured him the all-time record for most assists in a single season, but he certainly knows how to find the back of the net as well.
Fernandes has hit double digits in nine of his last ten seasons at the club level, while he has 29 goals for his country. If Ronaldo isn’t on the pitch at any point, then he will almost certainly be on free kicks and penalty duties, providing even more opportunities for him to score. The former Sporting CP man could well be the value pick.
Gonçalo Ramos
In Qatar four years ago, former manager Fernando Santos famously dropped Cristiano Ronaldo, with his lack of work rate leaving Portugal looking disjointed. Gonçalo Ramos took his place in the starting lineup and struck a sensational hat trick on his World Cup debut in a 6-1 win against Switzerland in the Round of 16. He would retain his place for the quarterfinals, where the goals would immediately dry up, leading the Selecao to suffer a shock defeat to African upstarts Morocco.
Fast forward four years, and Ramos is very much a backup behind Ronaldo, who started all but one of Portugal’s qualifiers. Ramos has had to bide his time for his club side as well. Ousmane Dembele is very much the main man for Paris Saint-Germain, but that has allowed the young striker to be fully fit for the World Cup, rather than suffering from burnout, which is a risk for the likes of England’s Harry Kane.
The bookies make Ramos a 9/1 shot to finish as Portugal’s top scorer this summer. Again, much of that stems from whether Ronaldo’s aging legs hold up throughout the tournament. If not, Ramos may well get his chance. He will also see plenty of minutes on the bench as the bare minimum as well. It’s up to him to take his chances when he is afforded them.
