Portugal face commercial test as Cristiano Ronaldo’s global appeal moves on

Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement has left Portugal confronting a major commercial challenge, with the Portuguese Football Federation losing the most valuable individual asset associated with its national team, according to sports marketing expert Daniel Sa.

Sa, director of the Portuguese Institute of Marketing Administration (IPAM) in Porto, told Spanish news agency EFE that Portugal had not lost its product, but had lost the biggest individual asset ever connected to it.

“The weight of Cristiano Ronaldo’s brand in the international promotion of the national team is exceptional and difficult for any other Portuguese player to replicate in the short term,” Sa said.

“Portugal is not only losing an outstanding player, but also one of the biggest international amplifiers of the Portugal brand.”

The scale of Ronaldo’s commercial influence is reflected in research carried out by IPAM in 2025. It valued the CR7 brand at 850m euros, representing a 325% increase on its 2020 value.

The brand scored 88 out of 100 on the institute’s sports reputation index, receiving full marks for revenue and social media presence. Ronaldo has also passed one billion followers, making him “a global communication platform in his own right”, Sa said.

Despite the size of the figure, Sa does not expect Ronaldo’s departure to trigger an immediate financial collapse for the federation. He said the consequences would vary according to each source of income.

Existing sponsorship agreements would not be structurally affected because companies buy rights linked to the national team and the federation as an institution, rather than individual player rights. Portugal’s continued participation in major competitions, along with the presence of other global stars, should also preserve its appeal.

“There will be an impact, but it is premature to say there has been a significant fall in federation income without data to prove it,” Sa said.

He identified merchandise sales and international demand as the areas most exposed to change. Portugal’s number seven shirt, closely associated with Ronaldo, has become a global asset that cannot be replaced immediately.

Domestic ticket sales are expected to be affected only to a limited extent because supporters’ connection with the national team extends beyond individual players. In international markets, however, Ronaldo’s presence alone was often enough to generate demand and increase commercial value.

Portugal are due to face Denmark in the Nations League – Path 1 on 14 November 2026, before Wales play Portugal in the same competition on 17 November 2026.

Sa advised the federation not to search for “the next Ronaldo”. A brand of that scale, he said, resulted from an unrepeatable combination of performances, trophies, longevity, personality and worldwide reach built over more than two decades.

“The federation’s biggest challenge is not replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, but turning the extraordinary strength of an individual brand into a legacy for the collective brand,” Sa said.

“After more than two decades of mutual growth, Ronaldo will have to prove that his brand can continue to grow without the national team, while the team must show it can preserve its commercial strength without relying on CR7.”