Euro 2024: Why Portugal can no longer rely on Cristiano Ronaldo

The most memorable moment from Portugal's eventual penalty shootout win over Slovenia wasn't Diogo Costa's hat-trick of spotkick saves, nor was it Benjamin Sesko's second half extra time miss that would have sent Matjaz Kek's side into the quarter-finals. Rather, it was the sight of Cristiano Ronaldo crying at half time of extra time having seen a penalty saved by Jan Oblak moments before the break. 

'Misstiano Penaldo' was the tagline as the BBC quickly analysed the highlights at the interval. It was one of eight shots Ronaldo managed in the last-16 tie. While he made amends to tuck past Oblak in the penalty shootout, Monday's knockout game further served to highlight why Portugal can no longer rely upon the 39-year-old to fire them to glory this summer. 

There had been concerns over Ronaldo's suitability to lead the line even back at the 2022 World Cup. Indeed, having started all three group games, the experienced striker was then dropped for the last-16 demolition job of Switzerland, with stand-in Goncalo Ramos putting in a WhoScored 10 rated display as Portugal steamrolled the Swiss before the quarter-final exit at the hands of Morocco. Fast-forward to the present day, and it's a similar story. 

As captain and perhaps the most iconic Portuguese player in history, alongside the late great Eusebio, there is a desire for Ronaldo to be his nation's hero in Germany. One last hurrah before he likely calls time on a glittering international career. Yet the selfless desire to haul his team to Euros glory is having an adverse effect on Portugal's quest for a second European Championship. 

Portugal are a side littered with attacking talent. Rafael Leao and Bernardo Silva flank Bruno Fernandes in the supporting trio in Roberto Martinez's 4-2-3-1 setup. Francisco Conceicao, the aforementioned Goncalo Ramos, Diogo Jota, Pedro Neto and Joao Felix are all options in reserve. But the aim isn't to forge a fluid frontline capable of blowing away any opponent in the game. No, the aim is to supplement Ronaldo, and it'll eventually backfire on Martinez and A Selecao. 

After last night's draw with Slovenia, Ronaldo has now had at least five more shots (20) than any other player at Euro 2024 yet has no goals to his name. Six of those have been free-kicks, more than any other player, and his record now stands at one goal from 60 total efforts direct from set-pieces in major international tournament football. 

He is underperforming his xG by 2.85, the biggest xG underperformance at the Euros. His role as captain means he is unlikely to be dropped by Martinez, though that didn't stop Fernando Santos from removing Ronaldo from the starting XI in Qatar almost two years ago. Football's answer to Homelander will likely use the decision to drop the striker at the World Cup as an argument to actually keep him in the team.

Ultimately Portugal did enough to book their quarter-final meeting with France, with Costa the hero for Martinez's side. Les Bleus have allowed an xG return of just 3.18 across their four Euro 2024 games so expect Didier Deschamp's side to keep things tight and make things difficult for Portugal on Friday night. 

With space at a premium, this'll likely mean more pot-shots from Ronaldo - no player has had more shots from outside the box than the experienced hitman (7) - when a little more subtlety in the final third would work better against Deschamp's France side.