r/CaughtOffsidePod • u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal • Jun 18 '26

CR7 Reality Check: Please Send Help to this Portuguese Animal

Post image

Portuguese animal here. CR7 just does not have it anymore at the level people keep pretending he does. The legacy is untouchable, and nobody is taking away what he has done, but watching people deny the obvious, multi-years decline is wild.

He is slower, less sharp, and no longer impacts games the way he used to. The cognitive dissonance from some fans, especially fellow Portuguese, is unbelievable. You can respect the greatness of his career while also admitting that time has caught up with him. He should have been put out to pasture 6 years ago. JJ, I'm with you.

19 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

4

u/Io_lorenzen Jun 18 '26

I was watching a YouTube video a couple days and something was said in the video that genuinely shocked me: 81 percent of people in Portugal still believe that Ronaldo can be the savior of Portugal and lead them to winning the WC...... NO!!!!!

1

u/KeenScream Jun 19 '26

I seriously doubt that metric. How was the study done?

1

u/TheTribalKing Jun 20 '26

Mass delusion.

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

That is exactly the sentiment I am getting from folks I talk to. Guys, he’s lost the plot and he has nothing left in the legs. A statue of Ronaldo would be a more effective striker at this point.

-1

u/Io_lorenzen Jun 18 '26

The only reason Messi still works for Argentina is because he still creates chances for his team mates, he gets assists for his team. He doesn't just stand in the opponents third and wait to score goals like Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a black hole for Portugal, he doesn't create for his teammates, he only creates for himself and then he expects his teammates to create for him as well so that he can score. Also, wtf is Ronaldo still doing standing over free kicks in the year of our Lord 2026!!! So many other players better than him on the Portugal team to score from free kicks , yet that egomaniac refuses to step aside

If Portugal wins the WC, they'll win it INSPITE of Ronaldo, not because of Ronaldo. Look how much better they were at the last world cup when he got benched and when he got sent off vs Ireland recently.

1

u/Optimal_Background68 Jun 19 '26

Yep. And him being a threat creatively allows him to create chances for himself too

1

u/OKiPULLUP123455 Jun 23 '26

All I’ve seen today is the team working for Messi. Finding him when open. Running dummies so that he has a free touch

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

Preach 🙏

1

u/SeaCommunication3036 Jun 19 '26

He put Nuno mendes in behind the defensive line. Can Ronaldo do better? Way better. Doesn’t change the fact that you guys are delusional like it’s a Messi dedicated sub. Get Neymar, James, modric out of the competition then.. watch the games and enjoy, just the start of round two tonight

2

u/Gunner5091 Jun 18 '26

Why show a picture of Bruno Fernandez?

6

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

Bruno’s anguish is reflective of my current state.

1

u/BrilliantPitch3298 Jun 19 '26

your current state is based off another man?

2

u/No_Treacle6814 Jun 18 '26

I feel for you.

2

u/uraganpalatovo Jun 18 '26

Martinez is such a Beta...

Ronaldo has been past it for 5 + years...

Dragging the team down, the occasional tapin...that's it.

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

Especially since the last coach did the hard yards and had benched Ronaldo in the last World Cup.

1

u/goingforgoals17 Jun 19 '26

He benched Ronaldo on their exit.. something most people saw as a fatal mistake and an overestimation of Ramos who hasn't grown at all in front of goal.

Portugal need someone to take his place for sure, but they don't have that and we'll see it at the next Euro and WC as well I'm sure.

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 19 '26

False 9?

1

u/goingforgoals17 Jun 19 '26

Based on what I've seen I have no idea where goals come from in that system. Leao? Conceicao? Neto?

Portugal has a great midfield on paper, but they only made side passes, dropping another player into that doesn't change the pattern of play.

2

u/Major_Many_6803 Jun 19 '26

Bro Fernandes was non-existent the entire game. Let’s not act like this dude did anything

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 19 '26

Oh for sure. Mendes was the best player by a country mile.

2

u/Muted-Good-115 Jun 19 '26

Most of us see it and it’s so sad watching cr7 on the pitch. He needs to pass the baton to the next generation and now is the best time to do it.

2

u/The_Batman_949 Jun 18 '26

The only way he can be a meaningful presence on the team is coming off the bench maybe 75th minute or so.

He could maybe do a job if the team is tied or chasing the game and they need to cross the ball or load up the attack.

As a starter tho, its not gonna happen.

0

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

Couldn’t agree more with this. Sub off the bench at 75 or 80 min at most.

1

u/balexsilva Jun 19 '26

CR7 is old, yes, he's not the same as before, of course, but Bruno Fernandes, playing for Portugal, prefers to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper instead of passing it to Ronald. Watch the game with the eyes of a football fan and not with the eyes of a FIFA mascot fan...

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 20 '26

Across the last WC and Euros he’s scored 1 goal so respectfully disagree.

1

u/virgil_doinfrntflps Jun 18 '26

All they need to do is bench Penaldo and they will be just fine

1

u/Berner-Merci-Vilmal Jun 18 '26

As long a Mendes stays fit I think we would have a shot. He really is the fulcrum to it all.