After Portugal's elimination in the round of 16 against Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo's participation in the 2026 World Cup was marked as the last of his career. In this context, Ronaldo Nazário, two-time world champion with Brazil and one of the greatest legends of football, referred to the present of the Portuguese forward and also to Neymar.
For the former Brazilian striker, both players face an inevitable reality: the physical wear that comes with the passing of years and makes it difficult to compete at the highest level in a World Cup.
The world champion of 1994 and 2002 explained that the demands of international tournaments are very different from those of other competitions.
According to Ronaldo, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar maintain an intact passion for football, but the body ultimately imposes its own conditions. “The body tells you that you can’t go on anymore. I think Cristiano and Neymar have reached a point in their relationship with their bodies. It is very difficult to win the battle against the body,” he suggested.
The Brazilian maintained that, although some players can still perform in certain leagues or championships, competing in a World Cup requires a much higher level of intensity, something that becomes increasingly complex with the advance of age.
“I probably still have the level to play in Saudi Arabia. But to play in the World Cup, we understand that it is much more difficult. The level is much higher. With all our passion, our love for football, and our desire to always play, I think in the end our body decides for us. I don’t play because the brain works in a way that the body can’t handle,” he expressed.
Additionally, he used his own experience as an example to explain that many times the will to keep playing is not enough when the body no longer responds in the same way.
Although the Al-Nassr forward was eliminated from the World Cup after the defeat against Spain, he has not officially announced his retirement from the Portuguese national team.
For this reason, speculations continue in Europe about a possible participation in Euro 2028, a tournament that could represent the last international challenge for one of the greatest figures in the history of football.
