Cristiano Ronaldo tipped for shock new job immediately after Portugal World Cup exit

Cristiano Ronaldo could succeed Roberto Martinez as Portugal’s next boss to continue his control in the national team.

That’s the bold view of talkSPORT’s Jeff Stelling, who has suggested the 41-year-old won’t want to give up his power should he retire from international football.

Ronaldo‘s World Cup dream came to an end on Monday as Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in their last-16 tie at the AT&T Stadium.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino came off the bench to fire in a stoppage time winner – resulting in Ronaldo tears as he trudged back to the dressing room.

The Al Nassr striker already confirmed prior to the game that he would be competing in his sixth and final World Cup.

While his own sister Katia Aveiro claimed ahead of Portugal’s 2-1 win over Croatia in the round of 32 that he will retire from international football altogether.

However, with Ronaldo just four strikes shy of becoming the first footballer to bang in 150 international goals, he refused to confirm whether he played his final game for Portugal in wake of their exit in North America.

Port of call

But as luck would have it, a new potential avenue for Ronaldo to get his hands on the World Cup trophy has just opened up.

Roberto Martinez announced he has stepped down as Portugal’s boss in wake of the defeat to Spain.

And with Portugal to co-host the global tournament alongside Spain and Morocco in four years time, Stelling has suggested Ronaldo could be at the forefront of another World Cup campaign.

Speaking on the World Cup Breakfast show, ex-Aston Villa striker and talkSPORT co-host Gabby Agbonlahor said: “You look at Ronaldo now and you’re like, ‘If I was the next Portugal manager, I’m only taking the job if he is not in the squad.'”

To which Stelling posed the question: “Here’s a thought for you.

“Roberto Martinez is leaving as Portugal manager, we all know that.

“How about Cristiano Ronaldo as the next Portugal manager?”

Agbonlahor then quipped: “Unsurprisingly, he plays himself every game for the next five tournaments.”

Giving his reasoning for his argument, Stelling then stated: “He doesn’t have to play himself, because then he’s still at the forefront of everything.”

Despite finishing as Portugal’s top scorer at the World Cup with three goals, question marks have been raised as to whether Ronaldo did more harm than good having failed to create a single chance for his teammates.

Declaring that Ronaldo looked a shadow of his once former self against Spain, Stelling remarked: “I watched him last night.

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“What I don’t want Ronaldo to do… I remember Ronaldo at his breathtaking best, I don’t want him to tarnish his image.

“I watched him last night, in a foot race, my cousin would have given him a real great contest, he just can’t move.”

As for Agbonlahor, he insisted that Ronaldo is the reason why Portugal have failed to progress past the last-16 in four of the last five World Cups.

He said: “I think as well, he looked like a 41-year-old last night.”

Before adding: “This generation of players will go down as a generation that underperformed.

“And Ronaldo at times, he was walking football last night, I played that position, you have to be running the channels, you have to be creating space for the players.

“And the fact that Goncalo Ramos, who scored the winner in the last round against Croatia, didn’t get on the pitch, says it all.

“Ronaldo, not his fault because he wants to play and the manager is playing him.

“But he cost Portugal this World Cup, and there will be a lot of players, your [Bruno] Fernandes, your [Joao] Neves, your Vitinha, [Nuno] Mendes.

“They will be looking and thinking, ‘Legend of a player for the country, but because of him we’re going home.'”