No Threat—Jose Mourinho Rips Portugal Without Cristiano Ronaldo

Lisbon—Jose Mourinho has entered the debate over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal future with a blunt assessment: bench the 41-year-old and the Seleção das Quinas become “no threat.”

Speaking ahead of Portugal’s friendly against the United States on Tuesday, the Benfica boss defended his former Real Madrid talisman after a goalless draw with Mexico in which Ronaldo was sidelined by injury. “People keep asking us not to call him up. Well, he didn’t play, and you saw the result. No threat, no fear from the opposition. Just a team being put under pressure by Mexico,” Mourinho told reporters. “When Ronaldo is on the pitch, the opposition think twice. Without him, they don’t think at all.”

Ronaldo, who has amassed a world-record 226 caps and 143 goals, is expected to become the fourth-oldest player in World Cup history if he features at the 2026 tournament. Yet questions persist over whether manager Roberto Martínez should transition to younger options such as Paris Saint-Germain striker Gonçalo Ramos, who was substituted before the hour mark against Mexico.

Martínez, however, aligned himself with Mourinho’s stance, insisting the veteran remains integral. “He is our captain and is very important, very influential. He still plays a fundamental role as captain. The way he finishes, his mentality, he inspires,” Martínez said. “I don’t know when the end will come. He’s not a 41-year-old player; he’s a player who tries to improve every day. He’s a stimulus off the pitch and on the pitch, a striker who has scored 25 goals in the last 30 games.”

Mourinho managed Ronaldo for three trophy-laden seasons at the Bernabéu and believes discarding him now would strip Portugal of its psychological edge. With Ronaldo unavailable, Martínez’s side will look to rebound against a reeling U.S. squad coached by Mauricio Pochettino, but the conversation surrounding Portugal’s dependence on their iconic No. 7 shows no sign of abating.