Paul Scholes says 41‑year‑old Ronaldo should only play final minutes for Portugal

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes argued that 41‑year‑old Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer fit to start for Portugal and would be more effective if used only in the last 15 minutes of a match. He told listeners on the "Good, the Bad & the Football" podcast, "For me he must be a player who can play during the last 15 minutes. For a player of 40 or 41 playing as a centre‑forward I really don’t understand."

Scholes made the remarks after Portugal drew 1‑1 with Congo in the opening Group K match of the 2026 World Cup. Coach Roberto Martínez defended keeping Ronaldo on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, citing his experience and goal‑scoring instinct, stating it would be "unreasonable to remove the world’s top scorer in a game that needs goals."