Cristiano Ronaldo's Heavy Minutes Raise Questions as Portugal Advances at the World Cup

June 27, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo looked like he could barely move faster than a slow shuffle by the end of Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Colombia on Saturday.

Given the extreme heat and humidity in Florida — where the “feels like” temperature hit 106°F at kickoff — that’s understandable. But it also raised an obvious question: Why was the 41-year-old captain, playing in his sixth World Cup, still on the pitch when the referee finally blew the whistle after five minutes of stoppage time?

Ronaldo appears to be both undroppable and unsubstitutable, even when it might benefit both him and the team.

In the final half-hour of the draining match in Miami, he was largely ineffective and should have come off. His expected goals (xG) of 0.17 and expected assists (xA) of 0.03 told the story of a performance that offered little.

Portugal now faces Croatia in the round of 32 in Toronto on Thursday. Ronaldo has played all 270 minutes of the group stage — and with stoppage time included, he has likely clocked close to 300 minutes at this World Cup.

Everyone knows Ronaldo is exceptionally fit for his age. He’s long been a model of professionalism and dedication. But he is 41. No amount of recovery methods can completely reverse the effects of time, and even he needs his minutes managed.

Yet Portugal manager Roberto Martínez seems unwilling or unable to rest his star player. After the match, Martínez defended the decision, saying Ronaldo is mentally and physically strong and always in the right place.

Still, the choice to keep him on raised eyebrows. Gonçalo Ramos, 25 and playing for Paris Saint-Germain, stayed on the bench while Ronaldo labored through the second half.

Other top stars are being managed more carefully. Erling Haaland was rested by Norway, and Lionel Messi was given a game off by Argentina. Both coaches prioritized freshness for the knockout stages.

Ronaldo, however, keeps playing. At this rate, it’s not impossible to imagine him still leading the line at age 45 during the 2030 World Cup.

Portugal secured qualification with a game to spare, but keeping Ronaldo on the pitch may have cost them first place in the group. A fresher, more mobile forward might have found the winning goal against Colombia.

As it stands, Portugal finished second and will likely face Spain in the round of 16 — a matchup where an immobile Ronaldo could struggle against the European champions.