Former Bayern Munich defender and World Cup and European Championship winner with France Bixente Lizarazu has commented on the situation surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal national team, urging the legendary forward to accept the realities of his age.
İdman.Biz reports that the 41-year-old previously left Portugal's training camp early following disagreements with head coach Jorge Jesus.
"If this story continues, it will be a serious mistake by all three parties: the federation, Jorge Jesus and Cristiano Ronaldo. You cannot allow things to end this way with a player like him, considering what he means to Portugal. It would be a disaster for their image," Lizarazu said on Telefoot l'After.
According to the former France international, one of the biggest challenges for an ageing player is accepting that his physical abilities are no longer the same.
"The hardest thing when you are an older footballer, especially when you are Cristiano Ronaldo and have created this image of being invulnerable, is accepting that you are no longer as strong or as fast. Unfortunately, that is life.
"If there had been a conversation between him, the coach and the federation where they told him, 'You are important to me, but in this match you will only play part of the game, and in the next one I will give you time to recover,' then everything could have gone smoothly. The player needs to be involved in this process and know exactly what is expected of him. If you tell him he is going to play and then he does not get on the pitch, trust is lost."
Lizarazu also believes Ronaldo must learn to manage the enormous ambition that helped turn him into one of football's greatest players.
"It is precisely because of that 'I' that you became Cristiano Ronaldo. Your ego made you work like crazy to break every record. But there comes a point when it becomes your biggest enemy.
"It used to be your strength, but now it has become your weakness because you cannot cheat age. And if you cannot accept that, you will eventually end up in the graveyard of the mammoths, I guarantee you!" Lizarazu added.
Ronaldo's future with Portugal has become a major talking point following his departure from the national team camp. Jesus has since indicated that the forward could return to the squad.
