Cristiano Ronaldo has so far scored 117 goals in 189 appearances for Portugal and is expected to play at the Qatar World Cup this year. This would be his 10th major international tournament for his country.
Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed the upcoming FIFA World Cup won’t be his last international competition. The forward expressed his desire to play at Euro 2024, thus putting retirement rumors to rest.
Aged 37, Ronaldo is in the twilight of his career but is still eyeing another silverware for his country before his departure. The Portuguese superstar was speaking at the Quinas de Ouro in his nation after being recognized as the top international scorer for the year.
Cristiano Ronaldo is looking at the next European Championships
“I hope to continue being part of the Portuguese international setup for a few more years. I feel motivated; my ambition is high. I am in a team with young people. I want to be in the World Cup and the next European Championships.” said Ronaldo after receiving an award for the top international scorer of the year at the Quinas de Ouro.
Cristiano Ronaldo overtook Iranian great Ali Daei‘s haul of 109 goals with a brace against the Republic of Ireland in September 2021. This allowed him to become the all-time leading international goal-scorer. He currently has 117 goals in 189 games for Portugal.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was essential to Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph. It was the first time Portugal lifted a major international trophy. They followed their success by winning the inaugural Nations League in 2019.
He is now eyeing one last shot for his first-ever World Cup triumph with Portugal. This time, they have a wealth of talent like Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Diogo Jota, and Rafael Leao among their ranks.
The situation at Manchester United
Manchester United were ousted from this season’s Champions League after a dismal performance last season. This led to speculations that Ronaldo would switch clubs in order to play in Europe’s top-tier Championship. However, he eventually decided to stay at United and play in the Europa League.
Ronaldo experienced a bitter start to the current season, losing his place in the starting line-up. However, he scored in the team’s last outing in the Europa League against FC Sheriff.
In any case, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be one of the most important players for Portugal.
