“Am I physically fine? Yes. Haven’t you been watching the games?”

That was Cristiano Ronaldo’s reply before Portugal jetted out for the 2026 World Cup when asked about his fitness ahead of what could be his final international tournament.

The problem for Ronaldo is that, yes, people have been watching the games, and they have witnessed a striker hopelessly out of form.

Ronaldo missed a hatful of chances in Portugal’s final warm-up game against Nigeria. His profligacy was nothing to do with bad luck, his misses were egregious, and his failure to score against a team that didn’t qualify for the World Cup raised more questions about whether a 41-year-old who plays his club football in Saudi Arabia should be leading the line for a side that can afford to harbour ambitions of going all the way in North America.

And yet Ronaldo almost certainly will start up front for Portugal when they face DR Congo in Houston on Wednesday.

There’s no doubting Ronaldo’s international goalscoring record. He has netted 143 senior goals for Portugal, with 22 of them coming at major tournaments (World Cup/European Championship). His status as the leader in the dressing room is also clear.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus is the central figure around whom Portugal can rally, however, there is a strong case to be made that Roberto Martinez’s team is better when Ronaldo isn’t in it.

A clear case against Ronaldo

Ronaldo did not score at Euro 2024 as Portugal reached the quarter-finals before losing to France on penalties. At the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo scored once from the penalty spot in the group stage, but Portugal’s best performance came when he was dropped from the starting XI in the last 16 as they thrashed Switzerland 6-1 with Goncalo Ramos starting up front. Ronaldo came off the bench early in the second half of the quarter-final tie Morocco but could not prevent Portugal losing 1-0.

It is Ramos who is set to be kept out of the XI by Ronaldo, and he has reason to be frustrated at being second choice.

Though Ronaldo is an inspirational figure for Portugal, the reality in terms of matters on the pitch is that he is spending the twilight of his incredible career for an Al-Nassr side that is among a small group of Saudi Arabian teams that dominate its Pro League, which is played at an intensity significantly below that of the major European leagues.

He is not playing his football in an environment suited to the high-pressing demands of the modern game at the elite level. While he scored five goals in qualifying for the World Cup, one came from the penalty spot and two were in a 5-0 away win over Armenia. That doesn’t take away the value of those goals, but the recent resume is far from sparkling.

Ronaldo’s efforts in last year’s UEFA Nations League serve as a counter to the notion that he is a hindrance for Portugal at this point in his career. The knockout tournament saw Ronaldo score three goals, finding the net in the second leg of the quarter-final with Denmark before also scoring against Germany in the semi-final and Spain in the final, which Portugal won on penalties.

In addition, in a tournament in which set-pieces have quickly become as important as they have been in club football in recent times, Ronaldo is an obvious asset.

Yet it’s difficult to dispel the idea Portugal would be better starting Ramos.

Why Ramos is the better option

Ramos has only scored six more goals for Portugal since his hat-trick in that 2022 thrashing of Switzerland, yet he has only started nine games in that time. Having only started 10 games in his international career, Ramos’ record of 10 goals in 25 caps is impressive.

He is a player with a track record of delivering when given opportunities by his country. In 2024, Ramos started four times and scored four goals, though the caveat that two of them came in a 9-0 win over Luxembourg must be applied.

Though used sparingly by Luis Enrique, Ramos’ club football environment is the antithesis of that of Ronaldo. At two-time European champions Paris Saint-Germain, a relentless work rate is a pre-requisite for getting in the team. As such, Portugal’s press is more likely to be effective with Ramos in the side.

Despite being second fiddle at PSG, Ramos has a strong goalscoring record for his club. After netting 18 in all competitions in 2024-25, he scored 12 this season as PSG retained Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

Six of those goals came in Ligue 1, despite Ramos only starting 13 times. He did not start any Champions League games but still scored twice. Additionally, he marked both his Coupe de France appearances with a goal and played a pivotal role in two lesser trophy successes for PSG.

Indeed, Ramos scored a 94th-minute equaliser against Tottenham in the UEFA Super Cup, which PSG won on penalties, and then repeated the feat with a 95th-minute leveller against Marseille to tee up a shootout win for Luis Enrique’s men in the Trophee des Champions.

Ramos offers greater energy than Ronaldo, plays his club football at a much higher level and possesses markedly similar goalscoring instincts inside the box while displaying a knack for finding crucial goals late in games.

A comparison of the two points to Ramos being the better option. For a team possessing as much midfield talent as Portugal boast, it seems a waste for Martinez to continue operating with the wrong option at the head of the attack.

The change Portugal should make

But to call Ronaldo a hindrance would be to take things to an extreme. While he is obviously entering the World Cup out of form, he is a player who can still inspire Portugal. However, their prospects of glory would improve if he was used differently.

Ronaldo can still be a leader in the dressing room but, in terms of on the pitch, it would make more sense for him to swap roles with Ramos and operate primarily as an impact option off the bench. Such a change would boost Portugal in their off-the-ball play and allow Ronaldo to maintain fitness in a tournament in which the heat is placing a greater strain on the players.

That would require management of Ronaldo’s ego by Martinez and, unfortunately, that is not something the Portugal boss appears ready to do.

Despite the evidence suggesting Ronaldo starting on the bench would be best for Portugal, the expectation is he will retain his place in the XI.

At what could be his last World Cup, that is a decision he and Portugal may ultimately come to regret. For Ronaldo not to hurt his and his team’s chances of finally lifting the trophy, he likely needs to embrace a reduced role on the grandest stage of them all. Don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.