After newest milestone, Ronaldo eyes World Cup glory

One other sport, one other private milestone. For all of the turmoil that has surrounded Cristiano Ronaldo forward of what’s more likely to be his closing World Cup, the Portugal nice remains to be making his mark.

On Thursday, he grew to become the primary man to attain in 5 World Cups.

Earlier this season, he registered the 700th membership purpose of his profession.

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Not dangerous for a 37-year-old, who doesn’t know the place he might be enjoying past Qatar after having his Manchester United contract terminated within the wake of his incendiary interview criticizing supervisor Erik ten Hag and the membership’s homeowners.

A win in opposition to Uruguay on Monday would safe Portugal’s qualification from Group H to the knockout levels with a sport to spare after its opening 3-2 win in opposition to Ghana.

“That is only the start,” Ronaldo mentioned in an Instagram submit, including that “there are not any impossibilities.”

But when soccer’s final numbers man is to attain his ambition of lifting the one main trophy that eludes him, he can’t do it by himself.

That a lot was clear in opposition to Ghana, when Portugal additionally wanted targets from João Félix and Rafael Leão to carry on for victory.

Félix is the likeliest inheritor to Ronaldo’s throne as Portugal’s inspiration-in-chief — and has even been linked with a possible transfer to United.

If Qatar is Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup dance, the strikes aren’t fairly as fluid as they as soon as had been.

His purpose in opposition to Ghana got here from the penalty spot, somewhat than a second of the kind of particular person brilliance on which his profession has been constructed.

That being mentioned, FIFA Technical Examine Group member Sunday Oliseh nonetheless described as “whole genius” his capacity to win a disputed foul from Mohammed Salisu that led to it — and Ghana coach Otto Addo insisted shouldn’t have been awarded.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebrations steered he doesn’t care the place the targets come from, as long as they carry on coming. However Portugal can’t solely depend on such moments — and amid the noise that surrounds its most celebrated participant, it may be forgotten how a lot expertise coach Fernando Santos has at his disposal.

Not least Atletico Madrid ahead Félix, United midfielder Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva of Manchester Metropolis.

“We’ve got gamers which are extra seen than others and they should take care of that, with the excessive precedence and strain,” Santos mentioned at a information convention Sunday earlier than the sport on the Lusail Stadium. “They specific themselves in a single specific means. There are gamers who’re extra extroverted, these extra introverted, a very powerful factor is that they play as a gaggle, play collectively as one workforce.”

Portugal might be with out Danilo Pereira, who suffered a rib harm in coaching.

Pepe, the 39-year-old heart again, might change him.

Uruguay drew 0-0 with South Korea in its first sport of the event.

Like Portugal, Uruguay is mixing the outdated and the brand new. Ronaldo’s long-time rival from their time at Actual Madrid and Barcelona respectively, Luis Suarez, is in an assault that additionally options the nation’s new technology of expertise in Darwin Núñez and Facundo Pellistri.

At 35, Suarez is now not the power he as soon as was, and he was substituted simply after an hour in opposition to South Korea. One other 35-year-old in Edinson Cavani changed him, however Uruguay nonetheless couldn’t discover a purpose.

“I mentioned that we had not been in a position to carry out at our greatest,” Uruguay coach Diego Alonso mentioned. “Nonetheless, we had six possibilities to attain in opposition to their one within the first half — we hit South Korea’s submit, we had six, and two that hit the submit.”

Ghana uncovered vulnerabilities in Portugal’s defence — however Uruguay will have to be rather more scientific if the South American workforce is to capitalize on Monday.