Cristiano Ronaldo will be in peak condition for the World Cup and Portugal can “rest easy” about what he will bring at Qatar 2022, says Selecao legend Luis Figo.
Superstar striker Ronaldo has found himself out of the Manchester United squad in recent weeks following pre-season uncertainty.
The 37-year-old reportedly wanted to leave Old Trafford just 12 months after returning to find a move to the UEFA Champions League-playing club.
However, the move did not materialize and Ronaldo’s only start this season under new boss Erik ten Hag came in a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Brentford.
This is partly explained by the fact that Ronaldo missed much of United’s pre-season due to personal reasons, but the Red Devils have made it four wins in a row with the legendary striker in the starting XI.
With just over two months until Fernando Santos’ side kick off their World Cup campaign against Ghana, Portugal fans will be hoping their leading man gets more starts.
Real Madrid big Figo is confident he will be in top form at the tournament.
Speaking at FPF Football Talks 2022 in Lisbon, Figo said: “I have no doubts about Cristiano [Ronaldo’s] quality, commitment and professionalism.
“I’m sure he’ll be in the best possible [physical] condition at the World Cup. What will the conditions be like? I don’t know.
“But undoubtedly, given his quality and professionalism, as I said, Portugal can rest assured what the Selecao can give.”
Portugal needed a play-off win against North Macedonia to book their place in Qatar, but in a tournament most pundits see as wide open, the Selecao will fancy their chances of a deep run.
Figo is also confident they can be a force to be reckoned with in Qatar.
“I think Portugal has one of the best teams in the world. But the Euros and the World Cup depend on many factors. Not only individual and collective quality,” he added.
“I hope that Portugal, after a difficult qualifying phase, can show their worth, that we can achieve our goals, that is to reach the final and win this World Cup.”
During his playing days, Figo was involved in one of the most controversial transfers in football history when he traded Barcelona for Clasico rivals Real Madrid in July 2000 for a then world record fee.
The story of the move was retold in the Netflix documentary “The Figo Affair: The Transfer That Changed Football”.
When asked how he felt about the situation as he relived it through the show, Figo said, “I lived through it, so I don’t feel any different.
“Obviously those who didn’t experience it, who spoke and criticized, will have a different feeling. But my feeling is the same as 22 years ago.”
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