“He has never won the World Cup,” an English legend dismisses Ronaldo from the GOAT debate.

The elimination of Portugal in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup against Spain continues to generate reactions. This time, it’s Troy Deeney speaking out about Cristiano Ronaldo’s place in the GOAT (“Greatest of All Time”) debate. The former Watford legend believes that, despite an exceptional career, the Portuguese captain does not meet all the criteria to be regarded as the greatest player in history. According to him, the absence of a World Cup title carries significant weight in this discussion.

Asked by Sun Football, Deeney also stated that the Al-Nassr forward, now 41, relies more on his teammates to create scoring opportunities than he did before. “For football purists, we will look back at his career and say he has been extraordinary and deserves all our admiration,” said the former English striker. He continued: “But I’m not sure we can place him among the greatest players of all time. There are many others, and above all, he has never won the ultimate trophy: the World Cup.” Despite this premature exit from the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the most decorated players in football history, with an exceptional club and international record, notably highlighted by Portugal’s triumph at Euro 2016.