PORTO: With a spot on the line for what could be his fifth and final World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo needs to avoid an upset like the one that ended Italy’s hopes of making it to the tournament in Qatar.

Portugal face a winner-take-all game on Tuesday against North Macedonia, the team that shocked Italy last week to keep the four-time champions out of the World Cup for the second straight time, and their talisman Ronaldo said it is a “matter of life and death”.

“The team is quite confident, I feel all the players are ready,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday. “For us, this game is a matter of life and death, we are aware of its importance and I take this opportunity to appeal to the supporters to give us incredible support tomorrow.”

Portugal are trying to reach their sixth straight World Cup, and Ronaldo is hoping to play in his 10th consecutive major tournament after appearing in four World Cups and five European Championships since 2004.

“We know that if we win we will go to the World Cup and if we lose we are out,” he said. “We have the responsibility to be positive and win the match. I see everyone well prepared and wanting to be at their best tomorrow.”

Portugal would have likely been expecting to face Italy in the play-off final, but the European champions slumped to a shock 1-0 home defeat by North Macedonia last week. The Macedonians also claimed a surprise away victory over Germany earlier in the qualifying campaign.

“We’re playing North Macedonia and of course people think it’s going to be an easier opponent,” admitted Ronaldo. “From my point of view it’s going to be an extremely tough game because if the Macedonians are here it’s because they deserve to be. North Macedonia are a very organised team, but if Portugal are at their best, they beat any team in the world.”

Ronaldo, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will be 41 by the time of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. But the Portugal captain was irritated when asked if Qatar would be his last World Cup if Portugal qualified for the finals.

“I’m tired of those questions. I’m the one who decides my future,” a visibly angry Ronaldo said. “If I want to keep playing, I will. If I want to stop, I will stop. I’m the one who is in charge of those decisions. That’s it.”

The other World Cup qualifying play-off final in Europe on Tuesday sees Poland host Sweden in the southern Polish city of Chorzow, with the Poles looking to end a run of six straight defeats against their opponents.

Poland, who finished second to England in their qualifying group, were given a bye to this game after scheduled semi-final opponents Russia were suspended from all international football until further notice following the invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden, quarter-finalists at the 2018 World Cup, beat the Czech Republic 1-0 in their semi-final with an extra-time Robin Quaison goal.Ten European sides have already clinched a place in Friday’s draw in Doha for the World Cup, with a total of three spots still up for grabs in the play-offs.

Wales will take part in the other play-off final but that is on hold until at least June because the war led to the postponement of Ukraine’s semi-final away to Scotland.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2022