Cristiano Ronaldo heads to swansong World Cup with a point to prove

From Piers Morgan to nine-year-old keyboard warriors sat in gaming chairs in Manchester United-themed bedrooms, there are legions of diehard Cristiano Ronaldo fans out there ready to shoot down anyone who breathes a bad word about the Portugal sensation.

But even the staunchest of CR7 defenders must admit things are not going well for their idol this season.

Sunday summed it up.

Up against an Aston Villa team playing their first game under Unai Emery, Manchester United handed Ronaldo the captain's armband for the first time in Erik ten Hag's tenure, only for the forward to go missing for most of the game and United to lose 3-1 at Villa Park.

Ronaldo was booked in the defeat, and in the aftermath of the game an unflattering statistic did the rounds – the 37-year-old has committed more fouls (seven) than he has had shots on target (six) in the Premier League this season.

His captaincy at Villa Park came under scrutiny, and in his ten league appearances this term he has managed just the one goal.

If United's season was a TV series Ronaldo would be a peripheral character, contributing little to the plot, but in seasons gone by he has been the kind of glamorous protagonist you simply could not take your eyes off.

That is naturally something that happens with age, but Ronaldo has shown before that he is not one to abide by the laws of the universe.

Ultimately, as the World Cup approaches, Ronaldo's swansong shot at glory will coincide with perhaps the most underwhelming period of his club career.

It seems absurd to claim that a player with five Ballon d'Or awards to his name could be heading to Qatar with a point to prove, but that is the reality facing Ronaldo.

United's absence from the Champions League this season – the main driving force behind his desire to leave Old Trafford – means he has not had the chance to strut his stuff on the biggest international stage.

And while it is anyone's guess where he will end up next in his club career, the World Cup could represent Ronaldo's last chance to put things right.

A man with 495 million Instagram followers obviously cares about his image.

Having been a picture of professionalism for most of his career, he will want to make amends for some of his actions this season, most notably the decision to storm down the tunnel in the closing stages of the team's win against Tottenham last month.

Of course it helps that he will be treated differently in the Portugal camp from how he has been at Manchester United this season.

Like it or not, Ronaldo is a different player when he is indulged and that will almost certainly be the case in Qatar.

Whereas Ten Hag has been keen to show his authority at United and has often prioritised quicker forwards in a pressing tactical system over massaging Ronaldo's ego, CR7 is still the main man when on international duty for his country.

Portugal boss Fernando Santos has more attacking options at his disposal than he has done in previous tournaments, with Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Milan gem Rafael Leao all likely to play a part in Qatar.

But the 68-year-old has been in the Portugal hotseat since 2014 and remains loyal to his captain, having started him in four of the national team's last five matches.

In Portugal's most recent international they lost 1-0 to Spain, consequently missing out on a place in the Nations League finals. There were calls afterwards for Santos to bench Ronaldo.

In response to the criticism of Ronaldo's performance in that game, Santos simply said: "What interests me is how the team played. Ronaldo had three or four chances. Two very good ones, which he usually scores. He didn't score. It's football."

And, of course, the elephant in the room cannot be ignored.

This will not only be a final World Cup for Ronaldo, but also for Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi – provided he is fit – and both are yet to lift the trophy.

The pair have had a remarkable rivalry spanning more than a decade, and many have been quick to claim that if one leads his nation to World Cup glory in Qatar he should be deemed the greatest of all time.

While it does not sit well with me that one of the biggest debates in football could for some be settled by a single tournament played in a desert in the winter with both players in the twilight of their careers, it will certainly act as fuel for Ronaldo, a man obsessed with being the best.

He will hang up his boots one day, and leave a legacy like no other. But, for now, in the midst of a rocky season, Ronaldo will feel he has a point to prove.

And Ronaldo with a point to prove is someone very dangerous indeed.

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