Jamie Carragher, the famous football expert, analyzes Cristiano Ronaldo's role before leading the Portugal national team into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On 11 June 2026, Jamie Carragher, the legendary former defender for England's 'Three Lions' and Liverpool FC, who has now become a well-known football analyst, offered his insights on Cristiano Ronaldo's role ahead of Portugal's campaign in the final round of the 2026 World Cup.
Carragher stated, “I’m not saying this to belittle Cristiano Ronaldo, because what he has achieved in football is hard to match. But to be honest, Portugal looks like a better team today—faster movement, smoother attacks, and more balance across the squad. Sometimes Portugal seemed like a team playing for Ronaldo, but now they look like a team focused solely on winning games.”
“Looking at the quality they have in midfield and on the wings, they create plenty of chances. The problem in recent games wasn’t chance creation but finishing those chances. There have been several matches where Portugal should have taken a clear lead. Every great player reaches a point where the team matters more than the individual, and I think Portugal is reaching that point. They have many talented young players all over the pitch and shouldn’t be afraid to build the team around them.”
“For me, this form underlines the team’s strength and the belief that Portugal genuinely has a real chance to win the World Cup. That chance doesn’t depend on whether Ronaldo starts every match or not.”