By Martin Graham
when Cristiano Ronaldo first stepped onto the pitch in Dublin in July 2009, he was already the center of attention in the football world. Sixteen years later, even as he begins to talk openly about retirement, that focus has barely faded.
At the time, he was in the Irish capital to do his thing Real Madrid makes his debut on the unlikely stage of Shamrock Rovers’ Tallaght Stadium. On Thursday, just a few miles away at the Aviva Stadium, he is ready to pursue another milestone: leading Portugal to qualify for what would be his sixth and final World Cup in North America next summer.
That first appearance in the famous white shirt came months after he claimed the first of his five Ballon d’Or. Although eight years have passed since their most recent victory, the transition to a new generation of stars such as Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal has not diminished their relevance. Even nine months after turning 40, Ronaldo remains the most prominent figure in football, as his high-profile interview with Piers Morgan last week proved.
Icons that defy age and a lasting legacy
Ronaldo is not alone in rewriting the rules of sports longevity. In basketball, LeBron James is still competing in his 40s and now shares the Los Angeles Lakers court with his own son. In tennis, Novak Djokovic recently won his 101st career title and has set his sights on defending his Olympic crown at Los Angeles 2028, when he will be 41 years old.
For Portuguese journalist and writer Miguel L. Pereira, the length of Ronaldo’s career has become a defining part of his identity. “It defines him,” explained Pereira. “He was always focused on how he would be remembered and he realized he couldn’t win the emotional comparison with Messi. So he turned to what could be measured: trophies, records, goals. That’s why he keeps going.”
Ronaldo, who is already the top scorer in international football and in the Champions League, has little left to prove, but there are still new milestones to be achieved. With more than 950 career goals, he once told former teammate Rio Ferdinand that reaching 1,000 would be his ultimate goal.
Adaptation across generations
Over two decades, Ronaldo has shared the Portugal shirt with three generations of players. When he made his international debut against Kazakhstan in 2003, he was captained by Fernando Couto, born before the Beatles broke up and England lifted the World Cup for the last time.
After winning Euro 2016 with teammates closer to his age, he now leads a squad that includes players who weren’t even born when he represented his country for the first time. This longevity has forced him to adapt his role. Gone are the days of breaking wings; instead, it now functions as a traditional number nine, an increasingly rare style in today’s game.
Republic of Ireland assistant manager John O’Shea, Ronaldo’s former team-mate at Manchester United, highlighted this change when asked how to stop him. “You have to defend the box and deal with crosses,” he said, a reflection of how Ronaldo now centers his threat inside the penalty area.
Pereira believes Ronaldo’s style sets him apart from the modern high-press systems of Europe’s elite clubs. “He doesn’t run much; he’s a box forward,” he said. “That type of striker is almost extinct. He wouldn’t suit teams like PSG or Bayern because they play at a different pace.”
This contrast can sometimes make him a challenge for younger teammates used to quicker transitions and fluid attacking play. Still, despite questions about whether his presence limits others, Ronaldo continues to score goals – 13 more since Portugal’s exit to France at Euro 2024.
While some saw this defeat as a natural endpoint, it has refused to go away. Gonçalo Ramos’ limited minutes at PSG have not helped his case to replace him, and Ronaldo remains the defining figure for Portugal ahead of what he has confirmed will be his final World Cup.
As this sixth tournament approaches, the question is no longer whether Ronaldo’s story will end, but how long this final chapter will last.
