Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the hottest properties in modern-day football and there is absolutely no debate about that. The 5-time Ballon d’Or winner is the record goal-scorer of Portugal and also has the most number of caps for the European side. He also is a legend in the FIFA World Cup arena.
When Ronaldo scored the penalty goal in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana in their opening fixture, the talismanic striker became the first player to score in 5 different FIFA World Cups. Cristiano Ronaldo keeps shattering records and keeps leaving a lasting impression in every game he plays.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will now be facing Switzerland in the Round of 16 matches on Tuesday in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. The Swiss army would be high on confidence after they outclassed Serbia in their last group-stage game. The score-line read 3-2.
However, former Premier League player and now football pundit Chris Sutton feels that Cristiano Ronaldo would not impact Portugal’s performance in the Round of 16 in a positive way.
“Portugal has some excellent players but the Swiss will be full of confidence here after the way they overcame Serbia to get to the last 16, and they also beat Portugal when they played them in the Nations League in June.
This will be close and I have a feeling Cristiano Ronaldo will have a big say in the outcome – although not necessarily in a positive way. It is a risk versus reward scenario for Portugal if they pick Ronaldo,” Sutton said to BBC Sport while speaking about Ronaldo in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
“Because his influence on the team is massive but they might have a better starter who should be on the side. If this tie goes the distance, how long should he stay on the pitch?” Sutton added.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance will be very critical for Portugal as he can weave magic on the field. The former Manchester United legend will be looking to add a FIFA World Cup trophy to his already glittering trophy cabinet.
