"You can't expect Ronaldo to be as he was" - Ex-Manchester United coach rates Cristiano Ronaldo's chances of winning 2026 World Cup

Former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen believes Cristiano Ronaldo can lead Portugal to World Cup glory in 2026. Despite being 40 years of age, the Al-Nassr man has continued to strut his stuff in the attacking third.

He recently led Portugal to glory in the UEFA Nations League in May and will be keen to help them win their first-ever World Cup trophy next summer.

In an interview with Grosvenor Sport, Meulensteen, who coached the five-time Ballon d'Or winner during his first spell at Manchester United, praised his physical condition while noting that fans must adjust their expectations regarding his performance levels. He said (via GOAL):

"Cristiano Ronaldo knows what Saudi brings and how it suits his family life, it’s remarkable at his age that he is still playing and keeping fit and wanting to get to the World Cup. "Portugal have a lot of talent, you can’t expect Ronaldo to be as he was when he was 28 but he will keep going as long as he feels like he is chasing something. He is chasing milestones and will want to break records, playing in Saudi he knows what the league is like and he has the desire to win trophies out there."

Speaking further, Meulensteen opined that Ronaldo has a chance of winning the World Cup next year. He pointed out that Portugal's current squad boasts an exciting blend of quality.

"Ronaldo has a chance of lifting the World Cup, Portugal have so much quality in that team and it’s about the role he can play in that. They're definitely a team that can progress and then it all depends on who you meet in the knockout stages and how well your best players perform. That is when you need to step up and be able to produce. They're definitely in with a chance," he added.

Cristiano’s best finish with Portugal at the FIFA World Cup came during his debut campaign in 2006, where the team reached the semi-finals before losing to France. Portugal did not advance beyond the Round of 16 in the subsequent three editions until 2022, when Morocco eliminated them in the quarter-finals.

Manchester United's new signing namedrops Cristiano Ronaldo during interview

Manchester United’s latest recruit, Bryan Mbeumo, stated that his love for Manchester United stems from his childhood. He noted that his first Red Devils jersey was the one with Cristiano Ronaldo’s name on the back. In an interview with the club’s media, Mbeumo was asked where his love for United came from, to which he responded:

“My first top was Manchester United’s top with Ronaldo behind. It’s just such a big club and I’m really happy to be here.”

The Portugal skipper played across two different stints at Old Trafford. He first played for the club between 2003 and 2009 and then returned in the summer of 2021 and left late in 2022.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava