The Portugal captain opened up on his future in international football as he closes in on another historic milestone.
Cristiano Ronaldo is on the brink of making football history! The Portugal captain will become the first male footballer to play 200 international matches if he plays in Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier away to Iceland.
At 38 years old, Ronaldo has had a one-of-a-kind career, and he’s not done yet. The striker is the all-time record scorer in men’s international football with a whopping 122 goals under his belt. He’s also the first man to appear and score in five European Championships. But that’s not all, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he became the first male football player to score in five different World Cups.
What’s next? He’s not even sure!
“What’s there left to beat?” Ronaldo joked during Monday’s pre-match press conference.
“I have no idea. I don’t follow the records, they follow me. I know that there are records that I hold. What I want most is to win and follow the path towards the European Championship.”
CR7 is clearly passionate about his country and his love for Portugal is evident in his dedication to the national team. He made his international debut in 2003 and has two major honors with Portugal, leading his country to success at Euro 2016 and the inaugural UEFA Nations League three years later.
“I’m hoping we can win more titles,” Ronaldo continued. “Two hundred games played prove the love I have for my country. Feeling like an asset gives me pride and motivation. What I want most is to help Portugal.”
On his Portugal future, he said: “I’ll stay here until I, the [football federation] president and the coach believe I can. I’ll never give up coming here, because it’s always a dream. Representing the national team is the height of the career. I want to keep playing, and make my family, friends, and Portuguese happy.”
It’s clear that Ronaldo is a true legend in the world of football. His 200th international match is not just a milestone for him, but for the entire sport. And as long as he’s motivated and those around him like his presence and leadership, he will not give up the national team in any way.
“As [ex-Portugal teammate] Bruno Alves said, ‘I will not give away my place for free.’ It’s been a long journey, but it won’t end soon, I hope,” Ronaldo added.