3 min readJun 3, 2026 05:17 PM IST
Portugal star forward Cristiano Ronaldo, in a video shared by his partner Georgina Rodríguez, was seen showing his son Mateo his “Ronaldo Chop” move.
The 41-year-old was seen dressed casually, barefoot, and was seen explaining the famous move to his son. It is a move that has helped Ronaldo for over a decade to bamboozle the defenders.
After Mateo tried to replicate the move, Ronaldo gave his feedback on timing, body positioning and how to read the opponent’s reaction.
The upcoming FIFA World Cup will be Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup. It is, by any reasonable reading, his last. Portugal’s newspaper A Bola has put together numbers that tell their own story. Among all outfield players at this tournament, Ronaldo is the oldest.
He has more international caps than anyone else here – 226. He has scored more international goals than anyone else – 143, against Messi’s 116. At 41 years and almost four months, he is still the central fact of this Portugal squad.
Coach Roberto Martínez does not want anyone treating that as sentiment. “He scored 25 goals in his last 30 international games,” Martínez told journalists.
“It is not right to say he is only in the squad for what he has done and not for what he is today.” He went further: “The hunger he has, the will to live the next day trying to improve – he is an example.” The message was clear. Ronaldo is not here as a farewell tour. He is here because he is still good enough.
Martínez began his first World Cup training session at the City of Football in Oeiras on Monday with 23 players. The four absentees – Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos – had earned their rest.
Story continues below this ad
The PSG quartet had just won back-to-back European titles with the Parisian club, the celebrations barely settled before the World Cup clock started.
They will report on June 6, the same day Portugal face Chile in their first warmup at the National Stadium in Jamor. Four days later, a second friendly against Nigeria in Leiria, and then on June 12 the squad flies to the United States.
