Ronaldo: “This is My last European Championship” match: Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Portugal, said to RTP on Monday that this would be his final European Championship.
“It’s definitely my final European Championship.” I’m not sentimental about it, though. Ronaldo said, “I’m moved by everything that football means, by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm for seeing my supporters, my family, and the affection people have for me,” following Portugal’s dramatic 3-0 victory over Slovenia on penalties to go to the quarterfinals.
Ronaldo, 39, hasn’t found the back of the net in any of his four games this tournament, so it hasn’t been the best. When Portugal was granted a penalty in extra time of their Round of 16 match against Slovenia, he had a fantastic opportunity to score his first goal, but Jan Oblak made an incredible stop to keep the Al Nassr player out of the goal.
Soon after, as the team gathered to prepare for the second part of the extra time, the Portuguese captain was seen sobbing.
After expressing his feelings, Ronaldo said, “Even the strongest people have bad days.” When the team needed me the most, I was at my lowest point. I was depressed at first, but I’m glad now. It’s the nature of football. Moments, mysterious moments.
“This year, I made no mistakes at all, and Oblak came through for me just when I needed it most. The team’s victory is what matters most, even though I missed it at the time. This season, I’ve lost twice and won once on penalties. We deserved to qualify, but sometimes football is just and sometimes it’s fair. Whether I succeed or fail, I will always try my hardest for this shirt, but you must accept responsibility. I’ve never shied away from taking on challenges head-on. Although I don’t always do things right, you can always count on me to never give up,” Ronaldo continued.
Ronaldo, one of the greatest goal scorers in football history with a record 14 goals at the European Championship, stated that “making people happy” was his primary driving force at the moment.