Cristiano Ronaldo has won virtually everything there is to win in football, and yet one glaring absence continues to define how history measures him. The 41-year-old Portugal superstar striker is set to appear in his sixth World Cup this summer in search of the only trophy he hasn’t won yet.
Ronaldo arrives in North America with arguably the most talented squad he has ever led. That combination of an elite supporting cast and the possibility that it could be his last World Cup is exactly what prompted former USMNT midfielder Dax McCarty to put Ronaldo squarely on notice during a recent appearance on “First Things First” alongside Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes.
Dax McCarty Challenges Cristiano Ronaldo’s GOAT Claim Without a World Cup
McCarty, who played 13 matches for the USA, didn’t mince words about what this tournament means for the Portuguese captain’s legacy.
“Mr. Ronaldo, Cristiano, your legacy is secure in amongst the pantheon of greatest players of all time,” McCarty said. “But when he goes to sleep at night after he retires, if he does not have a World Cup, he can say all he wants that he is the GOAT, and I guarantee you, Cristiano says it, he says it publicly. He will celebrate it to anyone who will listen, but he’ll know in the back of his head that he isn’t in that conversation with Lionel Messi if he does not secure a World Cup title.”
McCarty then talked about how other great players like George Best, George Weah, and Ryan Giggs have also not won a World Cup, but that was due to their poor supporting cast. McCarty believes that Ronaldo’s supporting cast this year is “one of the best in the entire tournament”, only behind France, in terms of talent.
“So I don’t want to hear about Cristiano Ronaldo needing more support, more help. They have the best midfield in the entire World Cup,” McCarty added. “You have Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, all four midfielders playing at a world-class level, providing service. Cristiano, you’d have no excuses.”
He’s not wrong about the midfield, as Vitinha finished third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting, and his clubmate João Neves, still just 21, has emerged as one of the smartest midfielders in European football.
Bruno Fernandes is coming off a season in which he registered a Premier League record 21 assists for Manchester United. Bernardo Silva remains a consistent creative force and has the experience of playing in big games.
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“So his [Ronaldo] World Cup legacy is fundamentally, absolutely on the line,” McCarty continued. “You want to be considered the GOAT? You want to have your Portuguese legacy secure in world football? You have to show up, you have to perform, you have to be the player that you were when Portugal was dominating… The pressure is on Cristiano, man.”
However, McCarty’s case for Ronaldo having “no excuses” may overlook some real concerns elsewhere on the pitch. Rafael Leão endured a frustrating season at AC Milan, managing just nine Serie A goals. His fitness and output have been inconsistent enough that his starting spot isn’t guaranteed.
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Moreover, Pedro Neto, Portugal’s other winger, has been unable to become a consistent contributor for either his country or his club throughout his career. Since neither is reliable enough to perform consistently, Ronaldo might not even get the service from either flank that he needs to score goals.
At 41, he is no longer able to create his own chances the way he did during his physical peak at Real Madrid. Ronaldo needs the ball delivered into dangerous areas, and Vitinha, Neves, and Fernandes are more than capable of doing so, but Portugal’s attacking width remains a question mark that could limit how often those passes reach Ronaldo in scoring positions.
McCarty also suggested Ronaldo should consider a super-sub role, though he conceded that Ronaldo’s ego “won’t let him come off the bench.” But the reality is that Ronaldo will almost certainly start every game because no other striker on Portugal’s team is better than him.
Hopefully, the five-time Balon D’Or winner, despite his age, will be able to shut down all his critics in the World Cup.
