The end of an era? Cristiano Ronaldo fights against time in the national team

At 39 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo remains as one of the most iconic names that ring a bell with soccer. And even as time keeps on moving, he still is one of the most outstanding performers on the pitch. For the first time, though, he faces another kind of pressure-the one where questions of his role with the Portuguese national team and benching are being thrown his way.

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Immortality of a Starter

This winning mentality has always been a factor with Ronaldo, and it's followed him throughout his career. Second best has never been good enough for this forward player, and that yearning brought him to where he is right now. At one point recently, Ronaldo was asked about the possibility of perhaps being a substitute for the national team, and his words were, "I'll always think of myself as a starter until the end of my career."

The bench is simply not part of the equation for him. The eternal number 7 does not see himself in this position, a feeling which is a mirror of his unshakeable confidence and his wish to go on contributing at the maximum level. This conviction brings along with it, however, an inevitable challenge: the growing pressure of continuing performances in an ever-demanding sport.

Handling Criticism, Staying Resilient

And for every player, criticism comes with the territory. Cristiano Ronaldo, with all his visibility, is no exception. During the last Euro, this criticism was very sharp because of the lack of goals-so unusual in his career. But Ronaldo didn't let that get to him. "Criticism is great; without it, there's no evolution," he said.

He realizes that criticism is only part and parcel with success, and in fact, molds a player. Still, the question lingers: for how long will Ronaldo be able to sustain this resilience? Will he manage to outrun age and remain relevant at the Portuguese national team, or are we soon to get used to seeing him in the background?

New Leadership, Old Expectations

With Roberto Martínez coming in to take the reins as coach of the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo was able to slide right back into his starting position, which he lost to come off the bench during the 2022 World Cup. Martínez filled the needed confidence in the player to continue playing a prime role within the team.

This has, however, begotten another very relevant question: for how long will it be judicious to continue Ronaldo as an undisputed starter? Examples in the form of defender Pepe, who is still going strong even past the age of 40, have led the way for the player. Of course, retirement isn't yet an imminent reality for him, but he does admit that when the time comes, he'll know when to step aside.

The Future Outlook

It's the mystery of Cristiano Ronaldo's future that incurs curiosity and raises concern. With the 130 goals for Portugal and being on the verge of 900 career goals, a lot remains to be done by him. Undeniably, he doesn't like projecting too far ahead, focusing on living day by day, making every opportunity count for soccer that still holds in store for him.

Then, asked about his eventuality of taking part in the World Cup of 2026, Ronaldo did not commit. Living in the moment is always the best way to go, he said, being very pragmatic. What underlines this behavior is that he is conscious of time's limitations yet still hungry for achievements.

The Challenge of Staying on Top

Not everyone stays at the top of the soccer world for a long period of time, but Cristiano Ronaldo is indeed one of the few cases that have happened. While age is definitely an issue, he keeps overcoming that expectation and can still make the difference.

But with him being good in the field, the question of relevance will always be there. The next few months might prove crucial for understanding whether Ronaldo can change or he has to give his place to new budding talent.

Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't have anything to prove to anyone. His career speaks for itself, and his desire to continue competing at a high level is already unequivocal. Nobody knows what will happen with him in the future, but there is one thing for sure: while he's willing to fight, there's always room to talk about what he can still pull off.