A former Premier League star has suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer able to compete at a high level.
The 39-year-old and his Portugal side were were unable to pass the quarter-final stage at the 2024 UEFA European Championship, losing to France in a penalty shootout.
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While the Al Nassr star managed to convert his spot kick against Les Bleus, as well as against Slovenia when matters also had to be decided by a penalty shootout in their round of 16 encounter, he failed to register a goal at a major competition for the first time in his career.
His performances at the tournament have also drawn criticism from many in the footballing world.
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Now former Manchester United stars Roy Keane and Gary Neville, as well ex-Arsenal forward Ian Wright, have suggested that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner should take a step back from international football.
The trio were speaking on the Sky Sports' Stick to Football: The Overlap Special, with Wright stating that the Portuguese seems unable to do the things he once could.
"Portugal should be very disappointed about that [exiting EURO 2024] simply because of how good their team is – when you look at them from defence to attack," the former striker said per GOAL.
"The way he [Ronaldo] played in EURO 2024, as great as he's been, surely Diogo Jota must be disappointed that he couldn't get on that pitch.
"What I saw of him, he can't cut it at this level now.
"As good as he is, as fit as he is, as driven as he is, you can see he just can't quite get it out of his feet to get a shot in, the movement with a header, he can't get past a defender now."
Keane, meanwhile, shared the same sentiment about the former Real Madrid talisman.
"He should have a break and step back from international football, and if he's still playing at club level, then have a look at the World Cup when it comes around.
"We look at [Harry] Kane when Kane's quite off it, and your main goal scorers not at it, you're playing with ten men. When you're playing at the highest level, you really can't carry anybody," he added.
"He can carry on playing, but just not international football. How many footballers do we know that have stopped playing international football at a younger age and obviously carried on having a club career?
"Part of your decision-making [when you're coming to the end of your career] is to step back to let other players learn. You could be holding people back and that's not good for the bigger picture [of the team]."
Neville added: "This dynamic of unbelievable desire, self-fight, determination – all those things that you love about him [Ronaldo] – how overbearing is it for the rest of the players and the manager and the country?
"There are two things – one, the player sometimes knows when to let it go, but there are some players who don't and need telling but there is an element of who tells him."
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