At 37 years old, it is no secret time is running out for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Playing at a high level is not getting any easier, and the opportunities to compete in top tournaments are becoming scarce.

Missing out on the World Cup, at his age, could mean he’s never playing in football’s showcase event again. Portugal face two must-win games in the European qualifying playoffs, beginning Thursday when they host Turkey. The winners then play next Tuesday against the winner of European champions Italy versus North Macedonia for a ticket to Qatar. Although no one knows if Ronaldo would still play in the next World Cup at age 41, not qualifying for this one would be one of the biggest setbacks of his career.

Ronaldo tried not to think past the task at hand, though. “Totally focused on the 2022 World Cup,” he said this week on Instagram. “As always, I’m proud to represent Portugal. We know it won’t be easy. We have the maximum respect for the opponents that we will face and they have the same goals as us. But together we will fight to put Portugal where it deserves to be. Let’s do it!”

Ronaldo is trying to make it to his 10th consecutive major tournament. He is the only player to have scored at least once in the finals of nine top tournament in a row, a streak that started at the 2004 European Championship and includes four other Euros and four World Cups. Among active Portugal players, he has the most World Cup goals with seven, two behind the record of nine held by Eusebio.

Portugal were relegated to the playoffs after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Serbia at home in the final Group A game in November, when the hosts opened the scoring but conceded the deciding goal in the 90th minute.

“It’s not the ideal situation, but it is what it is and we have to face it with responsibility,” Liverpool forward Diogo Jota said

To make it harder for Portugal, coach Fernando Santos has a depleted squad heading into the game against Turkey because of injuries, suspensions and the coronavirus.

His regular-starting defenders are both out — Pepe because of Covid-19 and Ruben Dias because of an injury. Santos also won’t be able to count on goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, defender Nelson Semedo and midfielders Renato Sanches and Ruben Neves because of injuries, while defender Joao Cancelo is out because of a suspension.

Long-playing record

Sweden’s all-time record goal scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is preparing to pass the torch to a new generation of young players such as Anthony Elanga as his side prepare for their playoff against the Czech Republic in Stockholm.

The 40-year-old striker recalled playing with the Manchester United winger’s father Joseph for Malmo FF over 20 years ago and he is now sharing a dressing room with his son.

“First time I met him, we were in the restaurant in the (United) training ground and he came up to me and he said, ‘you know my father’ and I was like, help me now because I don’t know who I’m talking to,” Ibrahimovic, who will miss the Czech match due to suspension, said.

“‘You played with my father Elanga’, and then everything clicked and I said ‘okay’, and it made me happy because I wasn’t the only Swedish one in Manchester, we had another Swedish player.”

Ibrahimovic even allowed Elanga, 19, to take centre stage on the podium between himself and Sweden’s team press officer.

“We’re all happy.You will have something to watch for another 20 years,” Ibra added with a smile.

For Elanga, who has caught the eye with his performances for United this season, and other young attacking Swedes like Dejan Kulusevski and Alexander Isak, Ibrahimovic has been an inspiration.

“You can see for the past 20 years what he’s done for the national team, and obviously at the club level,” Elanga said.

The winners of the Stockholm game will face Poland, who got a bye after Russia were suspended by Fifa and Uefa, on March 29 for a place in the finals.

Ukraine’s fixture against Scotland was postponed and pushed to the June international window.

That meant the winners of the semi-final between Austria and Wales will have to wait till June for the Qatar berth.