Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon believes Cristiano Ronaldo is far from finished and expects the Portugal captain to remain a major threat when the two sides meet in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Many fans have called the tournament Ronaldo’s “last dance” on the international stage. But Simon does not believe the 41-year-old is ready to retire.
“I don’t think this is Cristiano’s last dance,” Simon said, according to Goal.com. “Every match has its own significance. Right now, the main focus should be on what happens on the pitch, not on the media hype.”
Simon said Ronaldo may not be the same player he was six or seven years ago, but his ability to score goals has not changed.
“The current Cristiano at the World Cup is not the same player who was at his absolute best six or seven years ago. But we need to keep him as far away from our penalty area as possible. In the Nations League final, he got just one chance inside the box and scored from it. He has the goalscoring ability that every team dreams of,” Simon said.
The Spain goalkeeper also praised Ronaldo’s experience. He said the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward still knows how to find space and punish defenders inside the penalty area.
Spain and Portugal will meet in a highly anticipated World Cup quarter-final. The match will renew one of football’s biggest rivalries and put Ronaldo back in the spotlight as he looks to lead Portugal one step closer to the title.
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards during his career. He has also lifted the European Championship and the Nations League with Portugal. He remains the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football.
