Ronaldo says goodbye and Portugal trembles: without him 50% of fans and sponsors are gone
Ronaldo retires from the national team
The elimination against Spain ended CR7's sixth and final World Cup, and he is taking time to decide on his future with the national team. For the Portuguese federation the problem is not just technical: without its symbol man they risk declining ratings, engagement and contracts.
"That was my last World Cup, but otherwise I will have time to think about it, to avoid making hasty decisions." A few hours after the 0-1 draw with Spain in the round of 16,Cristiano Ronaldohe put an end to his world championship history: six participations, no one like him. On the rest, that is on the definitive farewell to the Seleção, the captain leaves the door ajar. But with233 appearances and 146 goals, the countdown has begun anyway, and Portugal finds itself at a crossroads it has been waiting for for twenty years.
A bigger brand than the national team
To understand the extent of the problem, the words of Daniel Sa, director of the Portuguese marketing institute IPAM, suffice: "It may be difficult to accept, but from a brand point of view, Ronaldo is incomparably more important than the entire Portuguese national team and countless other teams put together." The numbers prove him right. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner countsover a billion followerson social media, his name is recognized even by those who don't follow football and for a huge portion of the foreign public, Portugal's matches are watched for one reason only: him. Cameras, press conferences and advertising campaigns have revolved around the Funchal native for almost two decades.
What does the federation risk?
The farewell bill will be mainly paid by the FPF. The ratings in foreign markets, kept up by the presence of the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus, are the first item at risk. Then there is digital: contents with Ronaldo are consistently the most viewed on federal channels, and a drop in engagement weighs on negotiations with sponsors, who buy exactly that, exposure and international resonance. Some contracts, without the most famous face on the planet, will simply be worth less. The federation remains a solid institution, but imagining a farewell at no cost is impossible.
What will most likely happen to Portugal?
No player, even world famous ones like Bruno, Nuno, Leao and so on, can even come close to CR7's popularity. Portugal is supported by the whole world, not just by the Portuguese. As soon as Ronaldo leaves the national team, Portugal will lose 50% of its fans, 50% of its sponsors and economic rights. Footballers will no longer see fans waiting for them upon arrival on the plane or bus (away). So it will return to being the national team it was before CR7: a small nation with good talents. Because we must always remember that before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal not only failed to qualify for the World Cup, but also had zero trophies under its belt. With CR7 he wrote a story of trophies, victories and world fame. Now for them it will be a moment of decline never seen before!
