Portugal faces its first international match without Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday, marking the end of a 23-year era for the national team. While the squad retains significant technical talent, the departure of the global icon raises questions about the team’s future marketing reach and on-field identity after 234 appearances and 146 goals.
For more than two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo has served as the definitive face of Portuguese football. His exit from the national side concludes a tenure defined by consistent performance and international visibility, leaving the team to manage a high-profile transition as they prepare to host Denmark in Braga.
What does the loss of the CR7 brand mean?
Beyond the tactical adjustments on the pitch, the Portuguese national team must contend with the departure of one of global sport’s most recognizable commercial assets. Daniel Sá, the executive director of the Portuguese Institute of Marketing Administration, estimates the value of Ronaldo’s personal brand at approximately €850m (£710m).
“People identify with his story: a young boy who travelled to Lisbon alone, lost his father and achieved success through his own hard work,” Sá said. “Portugal has a long history of great players but no one has ever enjoyed this kind of global exposure. From a marketing standpoint, I have absolutely no doubt that most of the world watched Portugal’s matches because of Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Can the new generation shoulder the responsibility?
The current squad features a deep pool of talent, including high-profile names such as Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Neves, Nuno Mendes, and Diogo Costa. However, the absence of a player who could frequently resolve matches through individual brilliance—whether via set pieces or inside the box—requires a shift in the team’s collective approach.
Petit, who played alongside Ronaldo from 2003 to 2008 and currently manages the Azores club Santa Clara, emphasizes that the team’s established style must now carry the load.
“Ronaldo could single-handedly solve a difficult game inside the box, with a free-kick or another set piece,” Petit said. “But now we have great players from top clubs, they need to stand up. For some of them, this could be their last chance [for international success].”
How will his legacy be remembered in the squad?
Ronaldo’s influence extended beyond his goal-scoring record, with teammates and staff often citing his intense work ethic as a defining characteristic. Dany Mota, who trained with the forward at Juventus, said that Ronaldo’s reputation for being the first to arrive at training and the last to leave was verified by his own observations.
“He was a machine and had an endless love for the national team,” Mota said. Leonel Pontes, the technical director at Shanghai Shenhua who mentored Ronaldo at Sporting’s academy, echoed this sentiment regarding his leadership.
“I’ve coached a lot of kids but Cristiano had two qualities I’d never seen in anyone else,” Pontes said. “First, he had a natural leadership ability and an extraordinary influence over his teammates, driven by his technical quality and fearlessness. Second, he possessed an exceptional mechanical understanding of his own body.”
Despite these contributions, Pontes believes the transition could have been managed with more ceremony. “I think his departure from the national team, which was always going to happen sooner or later, wasn’t handled properly,” he said. “There were mistakes on both sides [by the player and the coach] but the country missed an opportunity to pay tribute to everything he has given us.”
What is the path forward for Portugal?
The challenge for the national team is to move beyond the shadow of the era that culminated in the Euro 2016 triumph. As the team prepares for the upcoming match in Braga, supporters look to a group of players who have matured in major leagues across Europe.
Maniche, a former teammate who played during the 2004 European Championship, points to the mentality that allowed Ronaldo to sustain his performance for so long as the blueprint for the current squad.
“Talent can open many doors, but it is that mentality that allows you to remain at the top for so many years,” Maniche said.
The team now faces the test of maintaining its competitive standing in international tournaments without the player who served as the focal point of their attack for 23 years. The match in Braga serves as the first checkpoint in determining how the squad adapts to this structural change.
