Everyone says age is just a number for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar’s remarkable fitness surely makes him a candidate to play beyond his 40s. Yet, the harsh reality is that age may be catching up with CR7, as evidenced by his recent struggles in the Euros. Despite the Al Nassr star’s ambitious dreams of playing in the 2026 World Cup, his iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes it would be ‘difficult‘ for him to achieve this goal.

The former Scottish tactician, who has always been the biggest supporter of Ronaldo, is now doubtful regarding the possibility of seeing his favorite disciple play the 23rd edition of the Golden Trophy. In a recent interview compiled by @GOATTWORLD on X, Sir Alex said, “I can’t imagine it [Ronaldo playing 2026 WC]. Football will get faster in the coming years. It will be difficult for strikers in particular to play at the highest level as they get older.”

Sir Alex isn’t underestimating CR7’s achievements throughout the years and believes those already speak volumes. “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time and I don’t think he has anything else to prove. One or two more titles won’t mean much to him, because he’s had a unique career,” concluded the 82-year-old.

Though the World Cup is indeed the only trophy that Ronaldo has never won, for Sir Alex, the striker has already accomplished everything he had to. Interestingly, months ago, there were rumors that Ronaldo was close to agreeing on a contract with Al Nassr until 2027, in a bid to play the next and his final World Cup. However, before thinking about the 2026 WC, Ronaldo should rather worry about his current form in the ongoing 2024 Euros.

Forget the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo is failing to make a mark in the UEFA Euro 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo has been dominating headlines since the inception of the Euro 2024. The Portuguese superstar is yet to open his account in the tournament and is majorly attracting criticism from the soccer world. Earlier, many soccer pundits claimed that Ronaldo wields more influence in the Portuguese camp than head coach Roberto Martinez. They criticized him for prioritizing his personal achievements over the national team’s success.

Likewise, in the previous match, the former Manchester United star had an emotional outburst after missing a crucial penalty in the first half of extra time. Following the miss, he was seen in tears as his teammates tried to console him during the game. This saw Ronaldo get criticized for putting his country in a difficult position and negatively impacting team morale. Additionally, many still believe he should be benched.

Therefore, in order to even make the cut for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo shall first focus on making his case in the ongoing Euros.