Euro Cup 2020: Could it be Ronaldo’s Last Major Tournament?
It’s certainly been a long time since Portugal last lifted the coveted UEFA Euro Cup back in 2016, not to mention the damper the Pandemic put on all our plans by keeping various sports tournaments on hold.
Finally, here in 2021, the football calendar certainly looks exciting!
Starting off with the UEFA Euro Cup 2020 which kicked off in early June 2021, the championship surely has kept most of us here over at Fun88 India, positively hooked on to the game.
With things finally picking up pace, everyone is guilty of being glued to the screen to watch the Euro Cup drama unfold.
If you, like us, have been following the talented teams this season, then we bet you must have felt the burn as beloved defending champions Portugal dropped out of the tournament.
This particularly anti-climatic exit of Portugal in the 16th round at the hands of Belgium was definitely a surprise that left a majority of football fans reeling.
Portugal, led by the charismatic team captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, faced a rather disappointing end, despite being heavyweights who waltzed away with the Euro Cup back in 2016 as well as the UEFA Euro nations league trophy back in 2019.
With Portugal out of the game early on – a lot of us here at Fun88 India share the same worry that’s been plaguing Ronaldo fans across the world….
Could this be Ronaldo’s last major tournament!?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Journey So Far
Cristiano Ronaldo-The Football Legend We Know | Source: i.pinimg.com
Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of the Portugal team is undoubtedly one of the biggest football players of our generation. The talented athlete has seen a tremendous amount of success from his early days, starting out from Sporting Lisbon, he has been a part of top tier clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Currently, the star is a part of Juventus, a move that certainly did not come cheap.
From a 94 million euro move to Real Madrid in 2009 followed by a 100 million euro move to Juventus in 2018, the hype surrounding CR7 and his legendary skills, holds great appeal for clubs who can afford to add him to their team.
Not surprising when one looks at his striking performance and accomplishments over the years. Ronaldo has managed to sustain his illustrious career with numerous decorations since the start of his career, be it winning 5 Ballon D’or awards, holding a total of 7 league titles, receiving the FIFA world player of the year award for two consecutive years (2013 & 2014 ) or showing off the European Golden boot which he has won over 4 times.
The list of his awards can get pretty exhausting to mention due to the sheer volume of it.
Not to mention that he is currently contesting for the Euro 2020 golden boot with 5 goals and 1 assist despite Portugal’s exit from the tournament.
The Euro Cup 2020-How It Is For Portugal
Portugal’s Performance At Euro Cup 2020 | Source: theathletic.com
Coming back to the aftermath of the recent Portugal vs Belgium match of the Euro Cup 2020, it’s certainly no surprise that the defending champions were obviously a popular contender for the trophy.
Not to mention that they had a stellar team captain on board, Cristiano Ronaldo himself.
Hopes were definitely riding high with Portugal rising up from the group stage to advance to the notorious knockout stage. With Belgium clinching an absolute victory in the form of Thorgan hazard’s perfect goal before halftime and moving up to the quarter finals, Portugal’s abrupt end is a major letdown to Ronaldo’s fans.
A sad feat considering Ronaldo didn’t get to add to his current tally of five goals in the Euro 2020 championship nor break the record of most goals in international men’s football. A record for which he is currently tied with Israel’s Ali Daei, for now.
An early drop in the Euro Cup 2020 amid rising speculations of Ronaldo leaving the football world for good, has left fans wondering if this is the last major tournament of their favorite idol.
Is It Ronaldo’s Final Goodbye?
Ronaldo Bids Goodbye To Football? | Source: sportsmole.co.uk
The question behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s final adieu has definitely been a hot topic of conversation among many late-night football chats for sure. Speculation regarding Ronaldo’s probable move from Juventus in the Club’s summer transfer window due to his contract ending in June 2022 was quick to gain rounds, a rumour that was recently shot down by the club’s spokesperson.
The footballer is an excellent asset for the club in the upcoming champions league. Who better to have on your team than the winner of five champions league titles?
However, keeping in mind that the football superstar is currently 36 years old, his presence in the next Euro Cup which is a dreary 4 years away (2024) is quite uncertain.
With the consistent pattern of most Pro footballers retiring in their early to mid 30’s citing performance reasons, Ronaldo sticking around to play for the next Euro Cup in 2024 when he will be 39 or 40 years of age seems quite unlikely.
Of course one cannot rule out the odds of seeing Ronaldo return to the field, given his consistent high performance paired with his impeccable physique. Reasons citing age and lesser physical vigour don’t hold much over the 36-year-old star who continues to defy traditional rules time and time again by managing to stay at the peak of performance as well as overall fitness.
The football star however did confirm that yes, while the 2022 FIFA World Cup is definitely on his radar, it will be the last FIFA World Cup he participates in.
Ronaldo’s Final Game To Be The FIFA World Cup 2022
Ronaldo To Play For FIFA 2022 World Cup For The Final Time | Source: Twitter.com
So while we can’t say for sure the exact year in which Cristiano Ronaldo will hang up his kicks, this probably will be his last Euro championship. We are going to see him vying for the champions league trophy as well as make a grab for the upcoming FIFA World Cup – a trophy that has managed to elude the star to date.
Are you excited to watch the legend in action at the FIFA World Cup 2022?