World Cup 2026: Ibrahimović criticizes Cristiano Ronaldo again

Zlatan Ibrahimović did not mince his words when it came to Cristiano Ronaldo. As Portugal continues its run in the 2026 World Cup, the former Swedish striker believes the Portuguese squad is being held back by the captain’s presence up front.

Speaking on a show broadcast by Fox Sports, Ibrahimović argued that Gonçalo Ramos should now be the starting striker. In his view, the current situation goes beyond a simple sporting decision:

You can't expect to win a World Cup with a 41-year-old striker leading the line. Ramos comes on and scores—he deserves his shot. It's no longer about performance or leadership. It's ego holding the team back. In a way, Portugal is a prisoner of this situation.

Cristiano Ronaldo, for his part, still found the net in the last match against Croatia, converting a penalty in a game that also saw a goal disallowed after a VAR intervention. Yet another controversy in the ongoing debate about the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's place in the national team.

Aliou Toundé |

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