21.03.2025 (04:30 PM)

Former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz has warned that the Portuguese national team should start preparing for the retirement of star player Cristiano Ronaldo.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been a key player for the Portuguese national team for the past 22 years.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo has played 217 times for Portugal, scoring 135 goals.

He is not only the most capped player for Portugal, but also the all-time leading goalscorer for the national team.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo is now over 40 years old and has not set a date for his retirement, although it is expected that he will retire after the 2026 World Cup.

Former Portugal coach Queiroz is concerned that the Portuguese national team could decline if Ronaldo retires, and he has warned that they should start preparing for it now.

“We have been going through the same thing for the last few years without noticing anything. But I think the Portuguese national team is approaching a very important and worrying situation. In a very short time, we will lose the best player in the history of Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo. Without Ronaldo, the Portuguese national team could decline. I think we should start preparing now to prevent that decline. We have a new generation of players who can continue to achieve success. But if Ronaldo retires and Portugal goes down, it will be very difficult to get back on track,” Queiroz said.

Ronaldo is still in his 40s, scoring 28 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions for Al Nassr this season.