He is already 39 years old, an age that few football players reach on the field, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s voracious appetite remains intact and the Portuguese star hopes to take advantage of the European Championship to break new records, both individual and collective.
Despite his age, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is confident of being a key player in a team that, according to Ronaldo, has the merits to win Euro 2024, which would join that of 2016, the only major title won so far.
“I think this generation deserves to win a competition of this magnitude,” CR7, who will participate in his sixth European Championship, told the press on Sunday, breaking the tie he has maintained until now with Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, with five.
The Portuguese team, led by Spaniard Roberto Martínez, arrives at Euro 2024 after a perfect (and record-breaking) campaign in the Qualifiers, in which they won all ten games played.
Portugal is part of Group F along with Turkey, Georgia and the Czech Republic, against which it will debut this Tuesday.
Everything seemed to indicate that, after losing the title in the 2022 World Cup (Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Morocco) and signing for Saudi Al-Nassr, CR7’s career was doomed to decline, but, true to the rebellion that has always shown, the Portuguese star has not yet given his last word.
Hello Leipzig! 👋🛬 #SharingThePassion | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/0MQebhrhz3
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) June 17, 2024
130 goals in 207 games for the national team
A week ago, in a friendly against Ireland, he found the net twice and raised his record for international goals to 130, 14 of them in the European Championships, a tournament in which he is the top scorer of all time, far ahead second place, Frenchman Michel Platini (9).
Ronaldo competed in the Euros for the first time in his country, in the 2004 edition, scoring on his debut against Greece, who later surprised by winning the title.
Since then, CR7 has never missed the tournament, playing 25 games (only being left out in one) and scoring in each edition.
If the star repeats his feat in Germany, he will become the oldest player to score in a European tournament. The current record belongs to Austrian Ivica Vastic, who scored a goal at the age of 38 years and 257 days, in 2008.
“I enjoy football, records are a consequence. For me, it’s not a goal, because I think that comes naturally,” explained Ronaldo.
“I’m happy, it will be my sixth European Championship and I will enjoy it in the best possible way, play well, that the team can win and try to do my best”, he added.
“Stomach butterflies”
Despite his long career, with 207 international games for Portugal (another record in men’s football), Ronaldo assured that he still gets nervous.
“Anxiety is always there. That butterflies in your stomach, especially the day before the game and on the day of the game. I’m glad I feel it. When I don’t feel it, it’s a reason to stop,” he said.
“I’m still very motivated. It’s a different competition and we’re all ready” for the debut against the Czech Republic.
Ronaldo’s ambition is fuel for his teammates. “He always thinks big and we want to follow him,” said Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot at a press conference on Saturday.
Ruben Dias, defender of neighboring City and the Portuguese national team, also praised the striker: “Ronaldo represents inspiration and that anything is possible. It is possible to dream, it is possible to achieve… He represents many things, but, above all, it is a pleasure to be with he”.
Like Portugal, the Czech Republic won a European Championship (in 1976, as Czechoslovakia), but has not gone beyond the quarter-finals for 20 years.
The Czechs will field a defense with three defenders and two full-backs, led by Slavia Prague player Tomas Holes, with the aim of stopping Ronaldo.
One of the few achievements the Portuguese star lacks in a European Championship is a hat-trick.
The last player to score three goals in the same tournament match was Spaniard David Villa, in 2008.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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