Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former Sweden striker, criticized Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo during the ongoing FIFA World Cup, stating that Ronaldo's ego is negatively impacting the team. Ibrahimovic suggested that Ronaldo's presence in the starting lineup does not exemplify legendary leadership and implied that the 41-year-old has lost his effectiveness on the field.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon has expressed concern over the threat posed by Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his age of 41. As the two teams prepare for their Round of 16 match on July 6 at Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Simon emphasized the need to keep Ronaldo contained within the penalty area, highlighting his continued danger in the game.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup expands to 48 teams, players such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Cristiano Ronaldo are breaking records in a competitive race for the Golden Boot, highlighting their elite scoring abilities.

As the FIFA World Cup 2026 progresses to the Round of 16, several key matchups are highlighted, including a notable game between Spain and Portugal. These matches are anticipated to be highly competitive as teams vie for advancement in the tournament.

France captain Kylian Mbappe scored his seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup, helping his team qualify for the quarter-finals after a tense match against Paraguay. He converted a second-half penalty, putting him ahead of Argentina's Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, due to having two assists to his name as well.

As of June 24, 2026, Lionel Messi is leading the race for the Golden Boot in the World Cup with five goals, while Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are closely following with four goals each, raising questions about whether this could be the best Golden Boot contest ever, according to Al Jazeera.