Cristiano Ronaldo: ‘Longevity defines him’ – how long will Portugal star go on?

Former Manchester United team-mate John O’Shea, now assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland, is reported to have mentioned the need to clear crosses and defend the penalty area when asked how he would stop Ronaldo at the Aviva Stadium on Monday.

“He doesn’t run too much, he just acts more like a striker as strikers who play in the box are on the brink of extinction,” Pereira said.

“He is the type of player who doesn’t fit the mold you see today, especially in top-flight teams. He won’t, can’t, play for PSG or Bayern Munich.

“Some of these [younger] “Players who are used to playing for teams like PSG, Chelsea, Barcelona or Real Madrid have gotten used to a different rhythm, another way of connecting with their forwards can therefore feel limited because they can’t do the same things they do at their club.”

For some, Portugal’s Euro 2024 exit from France on penalties, leaving Goncalo Ramos and the late Diogo Jota on the bench, felt like a natural end point, but 13 international goals have been scored since then.

Ramos’s case for replacing the legendary captain of the national team was not helped by his minutes at Paris St-Germain.

As for whether the current iteration of Ronaldo is a help or a hindrance, Pereira concludes that “there are two sides to every story” – but there is no doubt who the main character is.

With a sixth World Cup on the horizon, it remains unclear how long this final chapter will last.