Portugal could lose around 40% of its commercial revenue if Cristiano Ronaldo eventually leaves the national team, a prospect some have presented as proof of the captain's unique stature.
An opinion piece published by Funchal Notícias argues that sponsors are driven mainly by return, visibility and audiences, and that a player's commercial value is not the same as the sporting or institutional value of the national side.
The same source notes that the Portuguese Football Federation has contracts secured until 2030, so Ronaldo's departure is not expected to cause an immediate collapse in revenue, although its absence would still be felt.