Portugal may have secured a dramatic place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, but their victory over Croatia has reignited debate over Cristiano Ronaldo‘s place in the starting XI after legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivered a blistering assessment of the veteran forward. Speaking as a Fox Sports pundit, Ibrahimovic questioned whether Roberto Martinez’s side could realistically challenge for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while continuing to build their attack around the 41-year-old Ronaldo. “Portugal fans could have expected what’s happening. You can’t expect to win anything in 2026 with a 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack. Especially since Ramos is on the bench, having come on and scored,” Ibrahimovic said. The former AC Milan and Manchester United star argued that Ronaldo’s place in the side is being driven more by his legendary status than his present-day performances. Ibrahimovic believes the Portuguese captain no longer possesses the movement or finishing ability that once made him one of football’s most feared strikers. “This isn’t ‘legendary leadership.’ It’s the ego that’s holding the team hostage. Ronaldo has lost his touch and mobility. Now he’s just in the box… At this point, his aura is supporting him more than his legs. Continuing to start him is pure nostalgia-driven madness,” he added. The criticism came despite Portugal producing a thrilling late turnaround against Croatia to book a last-16 meeting with Spain. Croatia looked on course for victory after Ivan Perisic opened the scoring, but Ronaldo brought Portugal level from the penalty spot. The goal was a significant personal milestone, marking his first-ever strike in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup during his record-extending sixth appearance at the tournament. With extra time seemingly inevitable, Portugal found a dramatic winner in the 94th minute. Rafael Leão delivered a cross into the box and Gonçalo Ramos powered home the decisive header, sending Martinez’s side through with a 2-1 victory. Croatia thought they had forced extra time deep into stoppage time when Josko Gvardiol bundled the ball into the net from a goalmouth scramble. However, after a lengthy VAR review, officials ruled Igor Matanovic offside in the build-up, disallowing the goal and preserving Portugal’s lead. The result extended Portugal’s unbeaten record against Croatia in competitive fixtures and set up a blockbuster Round of 16 clash against Spain on July 7 (12:30 AM local time). Although Portugal progressed, the performance has done little to quieten the discussion surrounding Ronaldo’s role in the team. Ibrahimovic’s remarks have only intensified that conversation, with the Swedish great insisting Portugal’s ambitions of lifting the World Cup could be undermined if they continue to rely on their iconic captain as the focal point of the attack.
