World Cup: Liverpool legend says Ronaldo lacks pace and can’t beat anyone

Liverpool legend Alan Hansen criticized Cristiano Ronaldo’s performances at the 2026 World Cup, where Portugal finished second in their group following a 0‑0 draw with Colombia on Saturday, June 27, in Miami.

At 41, Ronaldo began the tournament with a 1‑1 draw against DR Congo, in which he took two shots that missed and made 25 touches. He improved in the next game against Uzbekistan, netting twice in a 5‑0 win, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups and the oldest to record a brace.

In the match against Colombia, the Al‑Nassr forward struggled to influence the game, registering only two touches in the opponent’s box, one of three shots on target, losing possession eight times and being caught offside twice, ESPN reported.

In a post‑match analysis on ESPN Podcasts, Hansen, a former defender, noted Ronaldo’s declining pace and frequent offside positions:

He said, “In this World Cup, he has been offside more times than I can remember because he knows he needs to get a quick headstart on the defenders because he doesn’t have the pace, so he’s running offside. And then he ends up in a wide area … because he’s not beaten anybody, he can’t go past anybody, so the only place he has to be is in the penalty box, but even then he’s pretty much invisible.”

Ronaldo and Portugal will face 2018 finalists Croatia in a Round of 32 match on Thursday, July 2, in Toronto.