Ronaldo Fires Back at Retirement Rumors, Unfazed by Criticism
Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed claims that he’s considering hanging up his international boots, and he’s not bothered about the criticism he received following Portugal’s Euro 2024 campaign.
The 39-year-old forward captained Portugal to the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Switzerland. Ronaldo failed to score during the tournament, and many questioned his role in the team. However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains defiant, insisting that he’s still an asset to the national team.
"That’s all from the press," Ronaldo said in a recent news conference. "It never crossed my mind that my cycle with Portugal had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest."
Ronaldo will be looking to make a statement in Portugal’s upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Scotland. He’s still got the hunger to succeed, and his determination is evident in his words.
"The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League," Ronaldo explained. "We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term."
Ronaldo’s commitment to the national team is unwavering, and he’s not bothered about the criticism he received. He believes that criticism is a natural part of the game, and it’s up to the players to prove themselves.
"Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress," Ronaldo said. "It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t. So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal."
Ronaldo will continue to be a vital part of Portugal’s team, and his experience and leadership will be crucial in their upcoming matches. For now, he’s focused on the Nations League, and he’s not letting the criticism get to him.
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