“He’s there not because he’s a legend, but because he’s good” - MLS legend Alexi Lalas aims cheeky dig at Cristiano Ronaldo with reference to teammate
MLS legend Alexi Lalas aimed a cheeky dig at Cristiano Ronaldo while lavishing praise on Portugal defender Pepe. Even at the age of 41, the center-back played a crucial role for his national team at Euro 2024.
Pepe made four appearances but unfortunately had to see his country exit the competition after a quarterfinal defeat to France on penalties. Speaking about Pepe, Lalas claimed that the former made it to the squad because of his abilities even at this age, in contrast to Ronaldo. In saying so, he hinted at the fact that the Al-Nassr striker was only chosen because of his status.
Speaking on the Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast, 54-year-old Lalas said:
"While we're talking about old people in the game, we've got to talk about Pepe. He's 41 years old and he's incredible. Whatever criticism we have on Cristiano Ronaldo, the opposite goes for Pepe. He's there not because he's old or a legend, he's there because he's good."
"He showed it time and again (during Euro 2024). He's not the same player he once was, nobody is. But if he got beat, he got back up," he added.
In contrast to Pepe's competition, Ronaldo failed to score a goal in his five appearances. This may be the last we have seen of the duo in major international tournaments.
Pepe has made 141 appearances across competitions for Portugal, bagging eight goals, while Ronaldo has netted 130 times in 212 matches.
Ian Wright believes Cristiano Ronaldo cannot cut it at the international level
Arsenal legend Ian Wright slammed Cristiano Ronaldo following the latter's performances at Euro 2024. The former striker stated that the Al-Nassr man simply cannot deal with the level of competition at these stages.
Although Ronaldo entered this tournament on the back of a season that saw him bag 35 Saudi Pro League goals, he failed to influence his team's performances.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright said (via GOAL):
"The way he played in Euro 2024, as great as he's been, surely Diogo Jota must be disappointed that he couldn't get on the pitch. What I saw of him, he can't cut it at this level now."
Portugal's next major international tournament will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By then, Ronaldo will be well over the age of 40, meaning it is unlikely that he will play a major role in that competition.