A World Cup without Ronaldo?

Ronaldo must rely on his team-mates for his passage to the 2010 World Cup

By Alistair Magowan

Since the award began in 1991, it is perhaps surprising that a reigning Fifa World Player of the Year is yet to match his personal triumph with the crowning glory of a World Cup winner's medal.

Some, though, have come awfully close and in doing so recorded some of the defining moments of the tournament's recent history.

Who could forget Roberto Baggio's forlorn figure in the 1994 final when he handed victory to Brazil by sending his deciding penalty skywards?

Fast forward four years and it was Brazilian Ronaldo's turn, as his barnstorming displays were dissolved in the collective memory by a seizure just hours before Brazil fell apart against France.

So what kind of story will the 2010 World Cup be devoid of should the current World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo not make it to South Africa?

The best player in the world should be at the World Cup and I hope we qualify Paulo Sousa on Cristiano Ronaldo

It is a very real prospect as Portugal head to Bosnia-Hercegovina this Wednesday for the second leg of their World Cup play-off.

They hold a slender 1-0 lead but Ronaldo, who returned to training with Real Madrid on Monday, will again watch from the sidelines as he recovers from an injured ankle.

Of course, by next year Argentina's Lionel Messi, whose team have already qualified, looks likely to pick up the coveted award which is handed out in January. But a tournament without Ronaldo, so often a player to weave his own narrative, would be a cost to more than just the tournament organisers, Fifa, or the Iberian country who finished fourth in the 2006 finals in Germany.

Since the awards have been handed out, no reigning Fifa World Player of the Year has failed to make it to the World Cup.

And according to former Portuguese midfielder Paulo Sousa, who earned 51 caps for his country and is now manager at Swansea City, it would be huge blow for every fan not to witness Ronaldo at his peak.

"A World Cup would not be the same without Portugal not only for the country but for football fans all over the world," he told BBC Sport.

Fifa World Footballers of the Year 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Por) 2007: Kaka (Brazil) 2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) 2005: Ronaldinho (Brazil) 2004: Ronaldinho (Brazil) 2003: Zinedine Zidane (France) 2002: Ronaldo (Brazil) 2001: Luis Figo (Portugal) 2000: Zinedine Zidane (France) 1999: Rivaldo (Brazil) 1998: Zinedine Zidane (France) 1997: Ronaldo (Brazil) 1996: Ronaldo (Brazil) 1995: George Weah (Liberia) 1994: Romario (Brazil) 1993: Roberto Baggio (Italy) 1992: M van Basten (Netherlands) 1991: Lothar Matthaus (Germany)

"The tournament would miss important players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Carvalho and others who play in the Champions League. Everybody knows Ronaldo and follows those players during the season so if you miss them you miss a part of the football spectacle.

"The best player in the world should be at the World Cup and I hope we qualify."

England's Wayne Rooney might have a different take on whether Ronaldo "should" go to South Africa, as his then-Manchester United team-mate played a part in getting him sent off in the 2006 quarter-finals.

Yet it is hard to deny Ronaldo's progression since that clash, having steered Manchester United to Champions League and Premier League glory two seasons ago, during which he scored 42 times.

It was enough for Ronaldo to win the World Player of the Year and the more celebrated European Footballer of the Year before Real Madrid forked out a world record £80m for his services last summer.

Indeed the president of the 2010 World Cup organising committee, Danny Jordaan admitted last month: "We have the big teams... but we need also the best players in the world and Portugal, with Ronaldo, and Argentina, with Messi, (have) two of the most exciting players."

But short of magically fixing his ankle in time, Jordaan, like Portugal fans, has been left to sweat on the outcome of Wednesday's encounter.

606: DEBATE Do you care if Ronaldo makes it to the World Cup? Alistair M - BBC Sport

While it is difficult to put an exact figure on what Ronaldo's absence will cost the tournament - and Fifa is not exactly short of cash - perhaps more significant are the financial implications for the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

Some sources in Portugal estimate they will miss out on as much as 25m euro should they not make it, based on the trend that sponsorship contracts almost doubled between the last two World Cups.

And Sousa, who worked as an assistant to Portugal's manager Carlos Queiroz before he moved to Britain, says that those funds are vital to developing the game in Portugal.

"Economically speaking it's very important because we can invest one part of that money in the bases," said Sousa, who won the Champions League twice as a player.

"For a small country like ours it's important to be in the World Cups and the European Championships to get prestige, to get better sponsors and earn some money to develop the football in our country."

With Carlos we have started to change things, our dynamic and the change of generations, and sometimes it's not easy during a qualification campaign Sousa on Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz

Recently the FPF's coffers have been swelled by a qualifying record that has been near perfect. The last major tournament Portugal failed to reach was France 1998 but that has only added pressure to former Manchester United coach Queiroz during a stuttering campaign.

Portugal lost at home to Denmark in their second qualifying game and then drew 0-0 three times on the trot. But the team, ranked 10th in the world, finished strongly with three victories that secured their play-off spot ahead of Sweden.

Speaking before the first leg, Sousa said he was sure that Mozambique-born Queiroz would be able to steer them to Africa's first World Cup finals.

And although there have been calls for him to step down, with Queiroz being booed by fans before the match last Saturday, Sousa thinks his guiding role has been underestimated at a difficult time.

It was Queiroz who led the so-called 'golden generation' to Fifa Youth World Cup victories at under-20 level almost a decade ago, but now those players have hung up their boots he has had to oversee a new chapter.

"The pressure for Carlos started at the beginning of the qualification and he handled it very well," said Sousa.

"I think he deserves to be there now in the play-offs and he has a lot of knowledge, not only to push our players, but also all of Portugal to believe and stay together to help our players get the best results.

"Portugal has a team that, when it is at its best, is difficult to beat. But with Carlos we have started to change things, our dynamic and the change of generations, and sometimes it's not easy during a qualification campaign.

"But we are still there to qualify and I believe a lot in our quality and the knowledge from Carlos."

The hopes of Portugal, the World Cup hosts and even the likes of injured Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa now rest with Queiroz and his team on Wednesday.

But no-one more than Ronaldo will be willing them on, desperate to show that a World Footballer of the Year can finally deliver where others have come so close.

Additional reporting by Rob Phillips