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What role will Cristiano Ronaldo play at Euro 2024?

What role will Cristiano Ronaldo play at Euro 2024?

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Just by taking to the pitch at Euro 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo will make history. No player has ever played at six European Championships in the history of the tournament, but Ronaldo, having appeared at Euro 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, is on the brink of underlining his already bold name in the history books.

By Graham Ruthven

And yet there is discussion over what Ronaldo’s role in Portugal’s team should be this summer. The 39-year-old is the top scorer in finals history and will almost certainly add to his tally of 14 goals at Euro 2024, but many believe Roberto Martínez’s team would stand a better chance of glory in Germany with Ronaldo on the bench.

The criticisms of Ronaldo for Portugal are familiar to those who observed the final few years of his Europe-based club career, particularly his ill-fated second spell at Manchester United. At 39, he is a non-factor out of possession. Ronaldo isn’t capable – or willing – to press from the front which makes Portugal easier for opponents to play through.

Under Martínez, Portugal have been liberated as an attacking outfit. The shackles of the Fernando Santos era have been thrown off with the Selecao finishing as the highest-scoring team in Euro 2024 qualifying. Ronaldo contributed 10 goals as Portugal secured their place in this summer’s tournament.

In truth, though, Portugal were afforded a passage to Euro 2024, drawn in a qualification group along with Slovakia, Luxembourg, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Liechtenstein. Martínez didn’t need to worry so much about Ronaldo’s lack of off-the-ball mobility because Portugal dominated the majority of the matches they played anyway.

At Euro 2024, however, it will be a different story, especially if Portugal make a deep run into the knockout rounds. There will be times when they have to play against the ball. There will be matches against high-calibre opponents when Portugal are weighed down by having a player like Ronaldo in the lineup. 

It’s true that Martínez’s set-up has given Ronaldo more protection. Portugal have most recently used split centre forwards with Rafael Leão on one side and Ronaldo on the other. This means Leão is usually the one making runs in behind and offering an outlet with Ronaldo free to take up scoring positions inside the box.

Martínez doesn’t need Ronaldo to be involved in build-up play. The 39-year-old averaged just 36.9 touches per match throughout Euro 2024 qualifying which ranked him 17th in this metric among his Portugal teammates – and this was against teams Portugal were able to dominate with the ball. Ronaldo might average even fewer touches at the tournament itself.

Instead, it is up to the likes of João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Bernardo Silva to create through Portugal’s midfield and into the attack. They are the players who give the Seleção control with Ronaldo in the team to offer cutting edge, as he did in Portugal’s final Euro 2024 warm-up match against Republic of Ireland by scoring twice. 

“His commitment as captain is unbelievable,” Martínez said about Ronaldo when asked about Ronaldo after the 3-0 victory over Ireland. “Today we saw two world-class goals, but I really enjoyed his work. He had already scored two goals, but his first option was to assist a team-mate. That shows solidarity and companionship, and they are important values in a dressing room when you’re going to the Euros. But also goals are very important and they were excellent.”

In Gonçalo Ramos and Diogo Jota, Martínez has other options in the centre forward position with João Félix another attacker capable of operating through the middle. Portugal have one of the strongest squads at Euro 2024 and will have to make good use of that quality to make a deep run in Germany.

Ronaldo’s international career has been defined by his experiences at European Championships. In 2004, his tears became the symbol of Portugal’s heart-breaking defeat to Greece in the final on home soil. In 2016, he essentially coached his team to glory against France in the final after suffering an injury. In what will almost certainly be his final Euros, Ronaldo’s role is uncertain.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

What role will Cristiano Ronaldo play at Euro 2024?

Just by taking to the pitch at Euro 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo will make history. No player has ever played at six European Championships in the history of the tournament, but Ronaldo, having appeared at Euro 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, is on the brink of underlining his already bold name in the history books.

By Graham Ruthven

And yet there is discussion over what Ronaldo’s role in Portugal’s team should be this summer. The 39-year-old is the top scorer in finals history and will almost certainly add to his tally of 14 goals at Euro 2024, but many believe Roberto Martínez’s team would stand a better chance of glory in Germany with Ronaldo on the bench.

The criticisms of Ronaldo for Portugal are familiar to those who observed the final few years of his Europe-based club career, particularly his ill-fated second spell at Manchester United. At 39, he is a non-factor out of possession. Ronaldo isn’t capable – or willing – to press from the front which makes Portugal easier for opponents to play through.

Under Martínez, Portugal have been liberated as an attacking outfit. The shackles of the Fernando Santos era have been thrown off with the Selecao finishing as the highest-scoring team in Euro 2024 qualifying. Ronaldo contributed 10 goals as Portugal secured their place in this summer’s tournament.

In truth, though, Portugal were afforded a passage to Euro 2024, drawn in a qualification group along with Slovakia, Luxembourg, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Liechtenstein. Martínez didn’t need to worry so much about Ronaldo’s lack of off-the-ball mobility because Portugal dominated the majority of the matches they played anyway.

At Euro 2024, however, it will be a different story, especially if Portugal make a deep run into the knockout rounds. There will be times when they have to play against the ball. There will be matches against high-calibre opponents when Portugal are weighed down by having a player like Ronaldo in the lineup. 

It’s true that Martínez’s set-up has given Ronaldo more protection. Portugal have most recently used split centre forwards with Rafael Leão on one side and Ronaldo on the other. This means Leão is usually the one making runs in behind and offering an outlet with Ronaldo free to take up scoring positions inside the box.

Martínez doesn’t need Ronaldo to be involved in build-up play. The 39-year-old averaged just 36.9 touches per match throughout Euro 2024 qualifying which ranked him 17th in this metric among his Portugal teammates – and this was against teams Portugal were able to dominate with the ball. Ronaldo might average even fewer touches at the tournament itself.

Instead, it is up to the likes of João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha and Bernardo Silva to create through Portugal’s midfield and into the attack. They are the players who give the Seleção control with Ronaldo in the team to offer cutting edge, as he did in Portugal’s final Euro 2024 warm-up match against Republic of Ireland by scoring twice. 

“His commitment as captain is unbelievable,” Martínez said about Ronaldo when asked about Ronaldo after the 3-0 victory over Ireland. “Today we saw two world-class goals, but I really enjoyed his work. He had already scored two goals, but his first option was to assist a team-mate. That shows solidarity and companionship, and they are important values in a dressing room when you’re going to the Euros. But also goals are very important and they were excellent.”

In Gonçalo Ramos and Diogo Jota, Martínez has other options in the centre forward position with João Félix another attacker capable of operating through the middle. Portugal have one of the strongest squads at Euro 2024 and will have to make good use of that quality to make a deep run in Germany.

Ronaldo’s international career has been defined by his experiences at European Championships. In 2004, his tears became the symbol of Portugal’s heart-breaking defeat to Greece in the final on home soil. In 2016, he essentially coached his team to glory against France in the final after suffering an injury. In what will almost certainly be his final Euros, Ronaldo’s role is uncertain.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.