Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has strongly defended his ex-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, dismissing intense public criticism surrounding the 41-year-old captain’s automatic starting spot in the Portugal national team.
The debate ignited following Portugal’s disappointing 1-1 opening group-stage draw against DR Congo at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes but struggled heavily to impact open play, registering only 25 total touches on the ball—with just five occurring inside the opposition penalty box. The performance drew immense backlash from pundits and fans questioning whether manager Roberto Martínez should bench the Al-Nassr icon in favor of younger talent.
However, Kroos explicitly shut down any narrative that Ronaldo is being picked strictly out of sentimentality or historical reputation.
“Ronaldo is not just playing because his name is Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s because he’s still their best attacker in the area.” — Toni Kroos, via Madrid Xtra
The Tactical Case for CR7
Kroos argued that despite losing the electrifying pace and dribbling sharpness of his youth, Ronaldo’s elite movement, aerial dominance, and predictive positioning inside crowded six-yard boxes remain completely world-class. He emphasized that while the modern Portuguese setup is filled to the brim with creative playmakers and technical wingers, the squad fundamentally lacks an alternative clinical finisher who can guarantee goals with Ronaldo’s cold-blooded consistency.
Ronaldo’s numbers continue to defy footballing norms as he builds on his status as the most-capped player (229 appearances) and the highest international goalscorer (143 goals) in the history of the sport. Despite fierce media pushback following the Group K stalemate, Roberto Martínez has signaled complete trust in his captain’s leadership and predatory instincts as Portugal prepares for their next high-stakes group fixtures.
