Spain goalkeeper, Unai Simon, has said that Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, is still dangerous within the penalty area, despite his advancing age.
This is as the two European giants prepare for their Round of 16 encounter on Monday (July 6) at Dallas Stadium, Arlington.
At 41 years, Ronaldo is the oldest captain participating in this summer’s tournament in North America and has netted three goals in four matches, with his first goal making him the first player to score in six different World Cups.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s most recent goal came during the 2-1 Round of 32 comeback victory against the 2018 finalists Croatia in Toronto, where he converted a penalty to equalize before Goncalo Ramos secured the win with a stoppage-time goal from the bench.
Ahead of the Selecao’s rematch against La Roja in the 2010 World Cup Round of 16 on Monday, goalkeeper Simon commented on Ronaldo’s finishing ability, telling reporters, “The Cristiano of today is not the same as the one from six or seven years ago, during his prime.
“However, it is evident that we must keep him as far from the box as possible, because when he is inside the box, he is decisive.”
Ronaldo scored twice in the 5-0 group-stage victory over Uzbekistan, making him the oldest player to achieve a brace, while his goal against Croatia marked his first in a knockout match of the tournament.