An article of opinion on the controversy involving Cristiano Ronaldo and the national team, relating the situation of the athlete to the business market, signed by Jorge Becho, Head of People Experience of Portuguese KWAN.
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07/10/2026
by
News to Minutes
“ Abig careers leave us more than results. They leave us examples, learning and sometimes also warnings.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of these examples. For what you've achieved, but especially for how you got there. Dedication, resilience, obsession with improvement and self-demand are lessons that any professional can and should take advantage of.
In a business context, it would be what we easily call an A-Player. Someone who raises the bar, delivers results, leaves a mark difficult to erase and, of course, we want to attract, develop and retain.
But the great examples also teach us what we should not repeat.
© Jorge Becho
The recent tension around Cristiano Ronaldo in the National Team reminds us of a reality that companies also face: no individual can become greater than the team. The status won cannot become an immunity from change. And here the role of captain matters! Leading is not just inspiring when we are the reference or when decisions favor us. Leadership is also revealed when we lose the role, when we disagree or when the collective decides to follow a different path from the one we would like.
The same goes for companies. An A-Player can be decisive and expect the company to continue to adapt to its needs. But when the team comes into existence to accommodate the star, instead of the star continuing to serve what the team needs, something got lost.
What was decisive in the past may no longer be what the company needs in the present. The market changes, teams evolve, functions change, and what is now a fit can no longer be tomorrow. Recognizing this doesn't erase history, it doesn't diminish merit, and much less is a sign of ingratitude. On the contrary! A mature company should know how to recognize who helped it grow, but also prepare successors, make room for new references, and prevent dependence on a person from becoming greater than the organization itself.
We need to normalize finitude in organizations. To accept that someone may have been fundamental for years and yet no longer be the right person for what comes next. Not all exits represent a loss. Not all cycles should be prolonged just because they were extraordinary. Maybe we should let cycles end with the same naturality we celebrate when they start.
Because respecting a story doesn't mean prolonging it forever. It means knowing what she was, even when she no longer needs to continue.”