Legendary Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo declared that the 2024 tournament would be his final 20 years after competing in his first Euros.
The statement comes after the thrilling round of 16 match against Slovenia, in which the 39-year-old superstar sobbed after missing a crucial extra-time penalty and then scored the first point to help the side win the championship shootout.
When discussing his choice, Ronaldo told Portuguese state radio RTP that he wasn’t “emotional about that” and that it didn’t entail “leaving the world of football”.
What more can I accomplish or succeed in? It won’t come down to a difference of only one point.
One of the main players in the history of the Euro championships is the guy who is currently with Al Nassr.
Between 2004 and 2024, he participated in a record six editions. With 14 goals, he leads the tournament in goals scored all time.
Portugal has only lifted one international trophy, the Euros, once, in 2016. He went on to win the Ballon d’Or that year by an unprecedented 429-point margin.
He hasn’t scored in Germany yet, though, and he faces a challenging task this Friday at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion as Portugal plays the favorites, France.
There have only been three previous big tournament encounters between France and Portugal, all of which occurred during the Euros.
With two wins, France has a tiny advantage.