Popular football pundit, Geoff Shreeves, has advised Roberto Martinez to drop Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal starting XI.
He said that Al Nassr superstar no longer have the leg to press and is not doing much to help the team.
Shreeves said the A Selecao lacks fluidity and mobility whenever the 40-year-old attacker is on the pitch.
Ronaldo holds the records for both the most caps and most International goals by any player in history.
He has scored 143 goals and made 46 assists in 226 appearances across all competitions.
Without Ronaldo, Portugal recently beat Armenia 9-1 in the last round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Ronaldo missed out due to suspension following a red card in their 2-0 defeat to Ireland.
During a segment on CBS Sports Golazo, Shreeves said of Portugal, “They are a pressing team, he can’t press, he doesn’t have the legs.
“Do you remember in the 2022 World Cup under Fernando Santos, he dropped him and in comes your man Goncalo Ramos and he scores a hat-trick. Then that coach gets sacked, Roberto Martinez restores his place in the team. That was the chance.
“Also we’re still awaiting what happens with his red card, if it’s 2 games and Ronaldo misses the first game of the World Cup, that kind of makes the decision for Martinez, I do think they are a better team without him. I still think he can contribute, his aura, his personality is massive but they are more fluid and mobile (without him).”
Ronaldo recently announced that the 2026 World Cup would be his last one.
The 40-year-old has helped his country win three trophies – Euro 2016, as well as the 2019 and 2025 editions of the UEFA Nations League.
