The Portuguese press is calling on Ronaldo to retire

Despite the consensus in Portugal that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in football history, media and sporting voices have begun calling on him to end his international career, emphasizing that the national team's interests must take precedence over any individual's name, regardless of their stature. These calls came after Portugal's elimination from the 2026 World Cup, following a 1-0 loss to Spain in the round of 16. Many considered this a sad end to Ronaldo's World Cup career, especially after he had previously announced that this would be his last appearance in the tournament. The Portuguese newspaper A Bola ran a striking headline in an opinion piece by Francisco Vaz de Miranda, stating: "Cristiano Ronaldo, we don't want to kill you, but enough is enough," alluding to the ongoing controversy surrounding his role with the national team and the criticism he has faced from fans and the media. These words followed Ronaldo's comments after the Spain match, in which he asserted that he has grown accustomed to harsh criticism over the past two decades, suggesting that some people treat him as if they want to end his career. The criticism wasn't limited to Ronaldo; it also extended to the choices of coach Roberto Martinez, who announced his departure from the national team. Jorge Jesus, the former Al-Nassr coach, is expected to take over. Martinez's critics argue that his continued reliance on Ronaldo came at the expense of other options, especially after substitute Gonzalo Ramos proved his ability to make a difference in the tournament, scoring the winning goal against Croatia in the round of 32. The newspaper A Bola sharply criticized the coach's decisions, considering the exclusion of Ramos against Spain to be one of his biggest mistakes, particularly given Portugal's physical and offensive decline in the second half. In contrast, former Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira defended Ronaldo, describing him as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but stressed that the national team must always come first. In an article published in the newspaper Record titled "Portugal Above All," Oliveira stated that the coach's decisions should be based on performance, the circumstances of the match, and the collective good, even if it requires making difficult choices regarding star players. The former coach added that Ronaldo deserves all the credit for what he has given to Portuguese football, but the national team jersey should always be the priority, noting that football requires courageous decisions in crucial moments. These criticisms have reignited the debate about Ronaldo's international future, especially given the player's refusal to announce his retirement at this time, despite his final World Cup appearance.