Could Cristiano Ronaldo Be Playing In His Last World Cup Match?
Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t been able to shake off that knee injury, and, as a result, has looked sluggish and unmotivated. Nobody knows what kind of pain he is feeling and how uncomfortable the injury is for him, but one thing is for sure: this is not the superstar fans in Spain are used to watching every weekend. This leads to the inevitable question: could this be Ronaldo’s last World Cup match?
When Portugal takes on Ghana in their last Group G match Thursday, all eyes will be on Ronaldo and what he does to keep his country’s hopes of advancing alive. The Europeans have a slim-to-none chance of moving on, as they currently sit in last place of the “Group of Death.”
From the time FIFA announced the World Cup groups, everyone knew this would be one of the toughest groups of all and we have not been disappointed. The only disappointment has come for football fans that have waited four years, to watch one of the greatest players do his thing in Brazil.
We are not saying that Cristiano Ronaldo should retire, he is only 29-years-old and has a lot in him still. Some out there are suggesting he should, which is silly, because the man has an injury, which has prevented him from being his usual self.
However, in 2018 he will be 33 and that is considered “old” in any sport. Ronaldo works hard, very hard, to keep his incredible level of physical fitness and that has paid off for him, but how much longer can he continue?
It is no secret that Ronaldo is one of the most polarizing figures, not only in football, but all of sports. With his flashy, overly confident personality, he seems to have it all. Women and men admire him, for different reasons, but he is controversial.
A World Cup is a grueling tournament for anyone and it comes in the heels of an equally grueling European season and it is not easy to keep the level of play for anyone. But for someone at Ronaldo’s level, it takes its toll. The same can be said for any other player participating.
As major stars begin to age, there is always the question of when they will retire and which one will be their last World Cup. This could be it for Cristiano Ronaldo, he really hasn’t talked about retiring and, if healthy, he has many good years ahead of him. We will see what Portugal can do with the very fast Ghana team, as they have looked sluggish to say the least.
This has been a very frustrating World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo due to his injury and he is on the verge of going down in history as a great club player, but one who failed his country. Only time will tell if this is indeed his last match in a World Cup, but all the attention will be on the current Ballon d’Or winner, when he takes the field at the Estádio Nacional de Brasilia.
[Image via Twitter]
