As 2026 World Cup dey near, one photo of Cristiano Ronaldo wey e dey beach with Portugal squad don burst social media. Di photo show am at age 41 with body wey sharp well well, and many pipo begin talk say na Photoshop.
But Vitinha, e teammate for PSG, don settle di matter. During press conference, when dem ask am about di viral photo, e laugh and say: “No, no. I promise you, I guarantee e no be Photoshop – e really be so.” E add say: “E dey wonderful say at 41 e still look like dat. I be 26 but I no look like dat,” and e make everybody laugh.
Vitinha yarn say di photo show how Ronaldo dey dedicated and how e dey important to am to stay for shape. “We go beach and we enjoy small, which also dey important,” e tok.
Ronaldo dey prepare for im sixth World Cup, wey be historic milestone wey only am, Lionel Messi, and Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa don reach. Portugal dey fine-tune dia plans for tournament debut, with hope to bring di title home for first time.
Portugal go play for Group K, and dia first match na Wednesday, June 17 against Democratic Republic of Congo. After dat, dem go face Uzbekistan on June 23 and Colombia on June 27.
Ronaldo, wey turn 41 for February, be di second oldest player for dis World Cup, only Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon (43 years) dey older. E still dey score goals well – e rank third for Saudi Pro League with 28 goals for 2025-26 season, and e lead Portugal for World Cup qualifying with five goals.
But e no be di same player wey e be before. At 41, e no dey press or defend like before, and e no be di creative fulcrum again. E be finisher, and e need im teammates to create chances for am. Portugal get playmakers like Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leão wey fit do dat.
Ronaldo go likely start as striker for Portugal. But im limitations out of possession mean say Roberto Martinez side go need to adjust. Dem go likely use combative midfield like Joao Neves and Joao Palhinha to cover. And since Ronaldo pace don wane, dem go try whip crosses into am instead of playing am from behind.
Some pipo dey compare am to Messi, but Messi dey play for MLS wey be stronger league, and e just become oldest player to score World Cup hat-trick. Ronaldo don score only one goal for 2022 World Cup. So advantage dey go Messi for overall play.
Still, Ronaldo be one of di greatest goal-scorers ever, with nearly 1,000 career goals. But e no be di greatest player ever, because Messi get better passing and dribbling.
