Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo, his team’s top scorer, ended his participation in the World Cup last Monday, the 6th, after the team was defeated 1-0 by Spain in the round of 16. In a gesture of recognition of the star’s impact, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another icon of European football known for his striking personality and vast career, made a point of praising the legacy left by the Portuguese player.
“I express all my respect to Cristiano Ronaldo. He achieved enormous achievements. The World Cup will miss his absence, just as he will also miss the World Cup”, said Swede Ibrahimovic, who works as a commentator for the FOX Sports channel in the United States.
Currently playing for Al Nassr, from Saudi Arabia, CR7 is 41 years old and has participated in six editions of the world tournament, making his debut in 2006, in Germany.
Since his first appearance, the Portuguese athlete has accumulated 11 goals and two assists in a total of 27 matches in World Cups held in South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014), Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022).
“He sought the title of champion, but it is not simple; it is, possibly, one of the greatest achievements in sport. His mentality is to win in all the competitions he competes in. He has not announced his retirement from the national team, so let us wait for the next steps. Everyone should continue to enjoy his talent while he is on the field, regardless of the uniform he wears”, added Ibrahimovic.
The former Swedish center forward also mentioned that the 2026 edition may have marked the farewell of other big names in football, such as Neymar, aged 34, and Luka Modric, who turned 40.
Both players won multiple titles on the European stage, however, they were unable to fulfill their dream of lifting the World Cup trophy.
“This was probably Neymar’s last World Cup for the national team, and the same goes for Modric. The fans will certainly miss them too. We’ll see how much longer they will continue to be active, but it’s understandable given their age. It’s a natural part of the sport”, concluded Ibrahimovic.
