Confident Real Madrid star admits he is not fully fit - 100 per cent rather than 110 - but believes he can carry the hopes of a nation in Salvador

Golden boy: Cristiano Ronaldo insists he has nothing to prove at the World Cup

It will probably appeal immensely to Cristiano Ronaldo that he takes to the World Cup stage a day later than Lionel Messi when he faces Germany in Salvador on Monday.

After all, in the eyes of the current holder of the Ballon d’Or, it is surely only right that Fifa saves the best until last by allowing him to illuminate Brazil after the likes of Messi, Neymar, Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben have provided the warm-up act.

Portugal’s talisman has many qualities, but modesty is not one of them and even the manner in which he kept the world’s media waiting almost an hour beyond the allotted start time before conducting his pre-match press conference suggested he was milking the moment to its very limits. “Was I late?” Ronaldo said, when asked the reason for the delay before offering a smile and a shrug in his defence.

Ronaldo knows his value and status in the world game and, at 29, Brazil 2014 offers him the opportunity to plant his flag firmly alongside those of Pele, Diego Maradona and Johann Cruyff as iconic figures who have lit up this tournament.

Yet as he trained in the Arena Fonte Nova on Sunday with a light strapping to his left knee – a knee strain has troubled him in the build-up to the World Cup – Ronaldo’s failure to shine in Germany or South Africa in 2006 and 2010 respectively have increased the pressure on him to deliver in Brazil.

Two goals in 10 appearances, against the not-so-mighty Iran and North Korea, are all Ronaldo has to show from his two World Cups and the defining image remains the wink which greeted Wayne Rooney’s dismissal in Gelsenkirchen following his brutal foul on Ricardo Carvalho.

But Brazil offers Ronaldo the chance to make it third time lucky and he is clearly ready to grasp his opportunity in football’s spiritual home.

“I don’t think I have to show anyone anything,” Ronaldo said. “Look at my statistics and my CV – I have nothing to prove. My career has been great so far and I just want that to continue.

“But I believe that one player is not a team. I am here to help the team. I am an additional player and I can make a difference, but I can’t carry the team on my back. I want to be champion, but let’s take it a step at a time. We are not in the group of favourites, but we are one of the best. For me it pushes me forward to succeed at a tournament. I like challenges and I want to do my best in whatever competition I am in.”

While the world waits to crown Ronaldo or Messi as football’s greatest player following this World Cup, there is no doubt as to the Real Madrid forward’s global standing in Portugal. In an almost North Korean-style cult of personality, Ronaldo is regarded as the undisputed number one by his compatriots and the party line is trotted out with regularity.

“Cristiano is a very important player for us,” full-back Fabio Coentrao said. “He’s the best in the world. He’s a super-athlete and he has a tremendous will of helping the national team.”

Bruno Alves, Portugal’s rugged centre-half, offered a similarly effusive tribute to the player who stands one short of 50 goals for his country, having already eclipsed the likes of Eusebio, Luis Figo and previous all-time highest scorer Pauleta from the record books. “The best player in the world had to be in the World Cup and he will help the team to achieve our goals,” Alves said. “We count with our captain, always.”

For all of the platitudes, however, Ronaldo must now allow his actions to do the talking, as they last November when he inspired the Portuguese to a play-off victory against Sweden. That performance merely highlighted the reality that Portugal are all about Ronaldo. Joao Moutinho offers creativity and vision in midfield, but Germany will double-mark Ronaldo tonight because even they accept the unique threat he poses.

“You cannot let him out of your sight, literally,” Joachim Loew, the Germany coach, said. “You’ve always got to ask ’what’s Ronaldo doing, where is Ronaldo’. There is a question as to who can keep Ronaldo in check. Jerome Boateng has done that in the past, so too has Phillip Lahm, so together, they will deal with him.”

Ronaldo, at least, is fit after his recent scare, even though he concedes he is not quite at super-human level. “Obviously I would like to be at 110 per cent, but I am 100 per cent and that is enough to help the national team,” Ronaldo said.

“If am here it is because I want to play and help the national team. If I feel something, and I am sure I won’t feel anything during the game, I will not risk my career.

“I come first, not football.”