Bruno Fernandes Backs Ronaldo Amid Portugal Role Debate

Portugal’s emphatic 9-1 win over Armenia last month came without Cristiano Ronaldo, and the scoreline reopened a familiar discussion. Is the team freer without its most famous figure? Bruno Fernandes does not buy into that reading.

Speaking ahead of Portugal’s next international window, the Manchester United midfielder made his position clear. Ronaldo’s presence, he said, still bends defences, shifts markers and creates room others rely on. The goals may not always come, but the effect remains.

Fernandes pointed out that opponents rarely treat matches with Ronaldo lightly. Those reactions, he argued, shape the rhythm of Portugal’s attack long before the final touch.

Different Profiles, Same Responsibility

Fernandes compared Ronaldo’s role with alternatives in the squad, including Paris Saint-Germain striker Gonçalo Ramos. 

Ramos presses aggressively and thrives on sharp diagonal runs. Ronaldo, by contrast, commands attention inside the area. Defenders track him closely, often at the cost of space elsewhere. That contrast, Fernandes noted, should not be framed as better or worse, but as a tactical choice.

“Cristiano in the box is still a very high-level player,” Fernandes said, underlining that influence is not limited to scoring alone. The team’s responsibility, he added, is to adapt, not to overthink who is on the pitch.

Numbers, Longevity, and a Manager’s Trust

Since Ronaldo’s debut in 2003, he has scored 143 goals across 226 appearances, making him the leading men’s international goalscorer, and now, at 40, scrutiny follows every performance.

Doubts surfaced during the 2022 World Cup when he was benched under Fernando Santos. Those questions have eased since Roberto Martínez took charge. Ronaldo’s scoring form with Al Nassr has helped, but Fernandes believes trust runs deeper than goals.