'Ronaldo should not be Portugal captain' - Super Eagles icon accuses Al Nassr man of riding on past glory

Former Super Eagles forward Osaze Odemwingie has questioned the continued captaincy of players competing outside Europe’s top leagues, arguing that Cristiano Ronaldo should no longer lead Portugal.

Odemwingie also used former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong as an example, insisting that international captains should be playing at the highest level of club football.

Speaking to Brilla FM, Odemwingie argued that moving to the Saudi Pro League should automatically end a player’s tenure as national-team captain.

“When I see players, our captain Troost Ekong, he moved to Saudi Arabia, and he’s still present captain. I understand that he’s still riding on the past glory, but for me when this happens, it's an automatic out for captaincy.

“Any player that doesn’t play in top leagues shouldn't captain Nigeria’s Super Eagles. It’s a fact. It’s not natural.”

During his final period with Nigeria, Troost-Ekong was also playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Kholood and was officially recognised as both the club and Super Eagles captain.

Despite the defender retiring from international football in December 2025 after a decade with Nigeria, following the 2026 World Cup play-off defeat to DR Congo, Odemwingie still believes the time he spent as Super Eagles captain while playing in Saudi Arabia was a mistake.

Odemwingie then turned his attention to Ronaldo, who remains Portugal captain and holds the country's records for appearances and goals.with 226 caps and 143 international goals.

Speaking about Ronaldo, the ex-Locomotive Moscow forward said, “Cristiano was still playing and captain for Portugal, but we can see the decline in his form on international level. It’s riding on past glory.”

The former Nigerian striker’s argument remains poignant following Ronaldo's disappointing 2026 World Cup performance.

For Odemwingie, the situation is clear: national-team captaincy should reflect a player’s current level, rather than his reputation or previous success.