Cancelo's Surprising Remark: Ronaldo Well Past His 'Peak,' Claims Defender

Despite celebrating his 39th birthday in February, Cristiano Ronaldo has shown little indication of slowing down. In fact, he concluded 2023 as the world's leading male goalscorer, having found the net an impressive 54 times. As the Al-Nassr superstar gears up for another shot at glory with Portugal at Euro 2024, his teammate Joao Cancelo has stressed that the national team does not solely rely on their aging captain.

He told Portuguese network RTP: "He is an important player and spent 15 years competing with Messi for the Ballon d’Or, but the peak of a footballer’s career is between the ages of 25 and 32. He is an important player for us, but the national team does not depend entirely on him.”

Although Cristiano Ronaldo may have passed his prime, he is expected to play a pivotal role for Portugal during the upcoming tournament in Germany. The forward showcased his goal-scoring prowess in the qualifying rounds, outscoring renowned players such as Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe by finding the net 10 times. Under the guidance of coach Roberto Martinez, Portugal emerged as the only team to achieve a perfect record.

Despite Ronaldo's influence, Martinez can rely on a plethora of other talented attacking options within his squad. Players like Bruno Fernandes, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leao provide additional quality and firepower for the Portuguese team. These players offer Martinez a diverse range of attacking choices, ensuring that Portugal's offensive threat extends beyond just Ronaldo.

Ahead of Portugal's upcoming friendly against Sweden on Thursday, both Ronaldo and Cancelo, among several other players, have been given the opportunity to rest. However, they are expected to make their return to the squad in time for Portugal's subsequent game against Slovenia on Tuesday.