Euro 2024: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Final Dance with Portugal?

The UEFA Euro 2024, starting this Friday in Germany, offers Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still going strong at 39 within a talent-rich Portuguese team, one last chance to enjoy and expand his legend in his eleventh major tournament.

Losing his undisputed starting position on the way to the 2022 World Cup and then moving to Saudi club Al Nassr in January 2023 could have signaled the end of a career marked by titles and individual records.

But the arrival of Spanish coach Roberto Martínez at the same time breathed new life into CR7’s journey with the Seleção.

Portugal’s first European Championship, hosted by the country 20 years ago, ended in tears for the hosts after losing the final in Lisbon to Greece (1-0).

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also shed tears when he was substituted due to injury in the Euro 2016 final, but the match against “Les Bleus” at Stade de France ended in favor of the Portuguese, and this time Ronaldo cried with joy, contributing to his country’s first major title.

As he approaches his forties, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star continues to defy natural decline, ending his season with enviable stats of 44 goals in 45 matches across all competitions.

With Portugal, he again rose to the top scorer status in the qualifiers, where the Seleção achieved ten wins in as many games, scoring 36 goals (10 by CR7) and conceding only two.

As always with Ronaldo, the all-time top scorer in the European Championship with 14 goals, the list of accolades keeps adding new lines.

With world records for international matches (206) and goals for the national team (128), the Madeira native will add his sixth European Championship appearance. So far, he shared this record with Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

However, if Portugal, in the eyes of some analysts, is one of the favorites to win the title in the tournament concluding on July 14 in Berlin, it is not just because of Cristiano Ronaldo’s banner.

In attack, the team boasts a wealth of proven talents playing in Europe’s most competitive clubs, such as João Félix, Rafael Leão, Diogo Jota, and Gonçalo Ramos.

Regarding whether Ronaldo is ready to relinquish his starting spot, as happened in Qatar, Roberto Martínez was cautious. In a press conference on Friday, he said, “We have 23 field players, and we’ve fostered a competitive spirit among them.” Then the match decides.”

The coach added, “Cristiano is ready to help the team and give his all. No other player in world football can bring to the locker room what Cristiano Ronaldo offers,” praising his “experience” and “consistent performance,” which this “incredible goal scorer” continues to deliver with his club.

To enjoy a week off, Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Portuguese team stage only last Friday and will take to the field only in the final of the three scheduled friendlies, on Tuesday against Northern Ireland in Aveiro (north).

Without the team captain, the Seleção passed the first test by defeating Finland (4-2) but lost on Saturday to Croatia led by Luka Modrić (2-1).

In the European Championship, Portugal will enter the fray on July 18 against the Czech Republic, before facing Turkey and Georgia in Group F.

The last time Cristiano Ronaldo met the Czechs in the European Championship, in the quarter-finals in 2012, he scored the winning goal with a magnificent header (1-0).

History opens its doors once again for the Portuguese star.