Could Cristiano Ronaldo Being "The Boss" Hold Portugal Back?

Cristiano Ronaldo shut down questions about his international future with a defiant statement this week.

The winner of Tuesday's game between Portugal and North Macedonia will qualify for Qatar 2022.

But if Portugal qualify will that be Ronaldo's final World Cup?

"I'm beginning to see that many of you ask the same question," responded Ronaldo, as quoted by Record.

"Who will decide my future is me, nobody else. If I feel like playing more games, if I don't feel like I don't play. I'm the boss, period."

Ronaldo was perhaps just making it clear that he will not be influenced by newspaper talk or the opinion of fans.

But Ronaldo himself has a lot of influence, which if wielded selfishly could hold Portugal back.

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker.

IMAGO/NurPhoto/Pedro Fiuza

As one of the greatest soccer players of all time, it could be a tough move politically for a coach to end Ronaldo's international career should he refuse to retire.

So the fear from a Portuguese perspective is that Ronaldo could be allowed to play the role of leading man beyond when his selection is merited, at the cost of other players and the team.

The reality is that if Qatar is not Ronaldo's final World Cup, he will be 41 by the time the USA, Mexico and Canada host the party in 2026.

Although it is totally plausible that Ronaldo could still be fit and sharp enough to score goals in his 40s, he certainly won't be good enough to command a guaranteed starting spot for a World Cup title contender.

If Ronaldo is still playing on merit by 2026 it will mean that Portugal's standards have dropped dramatically.

Portugal are already in a position where Ronaldo's starting status is being questioned by some, with the likes of Diogo Jota, Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes also among their attacking options.

Add the latest cohort of an Under 21 team who finished second at last year's U21 European Championship and there should be plenty more reasons for "the boss" to stand down before 2026.