ristiano Ronaldo had three goals in his last three World Cup tournaments. In this edition alone, he has 4 in his last two games.
That is the miracle of Cristiano Ronaldo. Add to the mix, the fact that he is 33 years old and that miracle seems even more divine. Conventional knowledge tells us that a footballer is generally at the peak of his powers when he turns around 28 and that form, if lucky, could last for another two to three more years.
However, conventional wisdom doesn’t apply to someone like the Portuguese. Before the start of the campaign in Russia, particularly the first half of the season, Ronaldo was struggling to hit his straps and had a measly 4 goals in the first round of league matches.
What happened in the second half of the season has to be one of the most improbable return-to-form tales in recent footballing history. The forward ended up with 26 goals in 27 appearance in the league and a scarcely believable 15 goals in Europe en route to Champions League glory: 44 goals in 44 appearances overall. Staggering!
Ronaldo was crucial to Portugal’s success in the Euros a couple of years ago. He is a leader and a motivator in the camp. Videos of Ronaldo rallying his troops before and during the game surfaced soon after, which only went on to substantiate what his teammates are always eager to allude to.
Even after their triumph in France, few were willing to give them a chance in Russia this summer. They were expected to be blown away by a rejuvenated Spanish side in the opener of the World Cup. Ronaldo wasn’t having any of it as he almost single-handedly dragged his side to parity in one of the most memorable contests in World Cup history.
It would be foolish to simplify all of Portugal’s intricacies to their megastar’s unmatchable ability, but it would be just as foolish to not account for how much having someone like Ronaldo in your ranks affects the mentality of a squad: going into battle with one of the best of all time.
Yet, sport seems to reign supreme over all those who claim to have conquered it, and age has a lot to do with that. Anyone else, anyone, and you’d be more than certain that at 33 years old, there will no longer be the possibility of donning one’s nation’s colours on the biggest stage in the world.
But Ronaldo isn’t anyone else, is he? Even at his age, he is leaps and bounds ahead of the languishing herd trying to keep pace with him. He, himself, has stated, time and again, his desire to keep playing football for as long as he can. He has rubbished claims that his age his a hindrance. It’s just a number.
Only recently, he’s claimed that he will play till he is 41 years old. That doesn’t just give him the possibility of making it to the next one, it keeps the door open for the one after that too!
And the way he is playing, and for all that he has done, who with half a mind would rule out the possibility of that happening.
With 85 goals in 152 appearances, he is the all-time leading goalscorer for Portugal and after his heroics against Spain, the all-time leading goal-scorer in all of Europe and only getting better with age. Only an unforeseen incident or a career-threatening challenge is likely to put him out of contention for representing his country at the World Cup in Qatar. If that.
He seems fitter and stronger, and if it is even possible, faster than he has ever been. Watch the sprint against Spain in the first half from inside his own penalty box to the oppositions’ to see what we’re talking about.
How can we say for certain that this is going to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup when we can’t even say that for certain about the one in four years?
The man is a phenom, and honestly, we’re lucky to witness him in all his glory. What does it matter that he is 33? He is Cristiano Ronaldo! No way this is his last World Cup. NO WAY!