Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has warned his teammates not to underestimate Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting the Portugal captain remains one of the most dangerous players inside the penalty area despite his age.
The two European rivals will clash in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.
At 41, Ronaldo is the oldest captain at this year’s tournament in North America and has scored three goals in four matches. His opening goal of the competition saw him become the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner added to his tally in Portugal’s 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia in the Round of 32 in Toronto, converting a penalty before Gonçalo Ramos struck a stoppage-time winner to send the Seleção into the last 16.
Speaking ahead of Monday’s encounter, Simón acknowledged that Ronaldo may no longer possess the pace and athleticism that defined his peak years but stressed that the veteran forward remains lethal in front of goal.
“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,” Simón told reporters.
Ronaldo also etched his name further into the record books after scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 group-stage victory over Uzbekistan, becoming the oldest player to score a brace at the FIFA World Cup.
His strike against Croatia was also his first-ever goal in the knockout stage of the competition, underlining his continued influence as Portugal pursue a second World Cup title.
