Zlatan Ibrahimovic Says Ronaldo's Ego Holding Portugal Back After Croatia Win

Swedish football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has launched fresh criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo despite Portugal’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ibrahimovic argued that Portugal should not expect to win the tournament while continuing to rely on the 41-year-old Ronaldo as their starting striker. He claimed the Portuguese captain has declined physically and is being selected more because of his reputation and past achievements than his current performances.

Ibrahimovic said Ronaldo no longer possesses the same mobility, finishing ability and overall influence that made him one of the greatest players in football history. He questioned Portugal’s decision to continue starting the veteran forward when Goncalo Ramos is available as an alternative. Ramos strengthened that argument by coming off the bench and scoring the decisive goal against Croatia, according to Ibrahimovic, who believes Portugal must prioritise current performance over reputation.

The former Sweden striker went further by claiming Ronaldo’s status was preventing Portugal from making the best decisions for the team. He argued that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner now spends much of his time inside the penalty area and no longer contributes with the movement that defined his peak years. Ibrahimovic said Ronaldo’s aura was currently supporting him more than his physical ability and described the decision to continue starting him as being driven by nostalgia.

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Ronaldo, however, played a crucial role in Portugal’s dramatic comeback victory over Croatia by scoring from the penalty spot. The goal was the veteran forward’s first-ever strike in the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup and came during his record-extending sixth appearance at the tournament. Portugal remained unbeaten against Croatia in competitive matches and kept their World Cup campaign alive with a late winner in a tense knockout encounter.

With the match appearing to be heading towards extra time, Rafael Leao delivered a cross in the 94th minute that Goncalo Ramos headed into the net to secure Portugal’s 2-1 victory. Croatia thought they had found a dramatic equaliser deep into added time when Josko Gvardiol scored following a goalmouth scramble. However, a lengthy VAR review found Igor Matanovic offside in the build-up, leading to the goal being disallowed and confirming Portugal’s progression.

Portugal will now face Spain on July 7 in the next knockout round, with the debate over Ronaldo’s role likely to continue ahead of the high-profile encounter. While Ibrahimovic believes the veteran captain’s continued presence in the starting line-up is holding the team back, Ronaldo’s historic knockout goal against Croatia has added another chapter to his extraordinary international career. The clash against Spain could provide another major test of whether Portugal can continue relying on their long-serving captain at the highest level.

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