Don't let Ronaldo start! Portuguese media voted for more than eighty percent of fans do not support, should the European Cup give way to newcomers?
As we all know, the Portuguese national team has seen a lot of young talent emerge in the recent stage, and there are basically outstanding stars in all positions who can play the main role. The team's lineup on paper has also become luxurious. After the overall value was raised, the fans' requirements for the performance of the Portuguese national team naturally increased. However, at this stage, there is another problem, that is, the trade-off between the veteran Cristiano Ronaldo and these young players.
In fact, this problem has been raised since the World Cup in Qatar, when the overall squad of the Portuguese team was very luxurious, and there were many young players in the front line who were eager to try it. But at that time, Ronaldo was the leader of this national team, although he was old, of course, after all, the qualifications were there. So even if he is sometimes in a little worse form, he can still be the main force. Since then, many fans and media have believed that Ronaldo may need to give way to the young people of the national team appropriately, which has also caused controversy on the Internet.
The problem persists today, with former boss Santos trying to solve it at the World Cup, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in the knockout stages. The first game had a good effect, but in the second game due to the team's exit, Santos resigned soon after. And after Martinez took office, Ronaldo became the starter again. Perhaps the Portuguese team looks calm at the moment, but in fact, the clash between the veteran and the newcomer is still there. It is not difficult to see from the previous interviews with young people such as Cancelo and Felix that they do not have 100% respect for the big brother of the national team. Felix even said in the interview that I was not obligated to pass the ball to Ronaldo, which is indeed a bit unreasonable.
It can be seen that the Portuguese national team at this stage is by no means a monolith as it seems on the surface. Maybe these young strikers have the idea to squeeze Cristiano Ronaldo out. So how exactly do you balance the relationship between Cristiano Ronaldo and the young players, and whether to make him a substitute? Just now, Portuguese media outlet Pioneer Sport launched an online polling campaign, with more than 40,000 Portuguese fans voting. There are two options, either keep Ronaldo in the starting line-up or let him make way for the youngsters. And the result of the vote was unexpected by many people.
More than 74.1% of Portugal fans believe that Ronaldo is old and that he should now make way for the young strikers. The number of fans who actually support him is no more than 25.9%. In other words, most Portugal fans don't think Ronaldo has what it takes to start. After all, he is 39 years old, and his physical fitness and personal skills have declined greatly. At this stage, as long as there is an intensity of the game, Ronaldo is struggling, and these fans are watching. So it's understandable that you want him to be a substitute. Interestingly, before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, there was a media poll, and 64% of fans wanted to substitute him. Now there are more people who want to substitute him.
Now the question is once again in front of the current coach Martinez, the European Championship is coming, which is the most crucial national team competition for Portugal in the recent stage, and it may also be the curtain call for many veterans in the team. At this juncture, this issue really needs to be addressed in a timely manner. In terms of contribution, Ronaldo has been the star of the team for more than ten years, scoring more than 100 goals, which can be described as a hard work. At the same time, he is the captain of the team, so he qualifies for a regular place in the European Championships, there is no doubt about it.
However, it cannot be ignored that Ronaldo is close to 40 years old after all. His overall state is not what it was in previous years, and it is unknown whether Ronaldo can keep up with the rhythm in the high-intensity competition. At least as far as the current situation is concerned, Ronaldo can only last 40~50 minutes in high-intensity games, and once the time is extended, it is unbearable for a veteran like him. Perhaps from a realistic point of view, Cristiano Ronaldo's coming off the bench to ensure as much physical strength as possible to score goals may be the best way out. So in your opinion, should Cristiano Ronaldo start in the European Championship?