“He deserves to be at the World Cup,” Maniche defends Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to spark debate, but for Maniche, this is not even a question. The former Portuguese midfielder defended the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and believes his presence with Portugal at the 2026 World Cup is fully justified. At 41, the Al-Nassr striker is set to compete in his sixth World Cup, a historic record. As the all-time top scorer in football with 973 goals for club and country, Ronaldo remains one of the key players for the Portuguese national team.

In an interview with Flashscore, Maniche emphasized the importance of the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player within the Portuguese squad. “Cristiano Ronaldo must be present. As long as he has the desire and ambition to represent Portugal, he deserves his place. He is an extraordinary player,” he stated. The former international acknowledged that the Portuguese captain no longer possesses the same physical qualities as he did in his youth, but believes his influence remains significant. “He may not have the explosiveness of his twenties, but he continues to draw the attention of opposing defenses and create space for his teammates,” he explained.

Maniche also criticized some of the comments directed at Ronaldo. “There is sometimes a lack of objectivity in the debates surrounding him. Cristiano remains a reference and an important element of this team. I don’t see any Portuguese forward clearly superior to him today,” he added. Portugal will start their World Cup campaign on June 16 in Houston against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group K. Uzbekistan and Colombia complete a group where the Portuguese will aim for qualification to the knockout stages and dream of their first world title.