Cristiano Ronaldo told Portuguese TV channel RTP that the 2024 European Championship will be his last European Championship.
“It is without a doubt the last European Championship [for me]”Of course it is,” Ronaldo said after Portugal’s round of 16 win over Slovenia on Monday.
“But I’m not emotional about it. I’m moved by everything that football brings, by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm I see in the fans, having my family here, the passion of people… it’s not about leaving the world of football. What else can I do or win?”
Ronaldo, 39, is currently playing in his record sixth European Championship and has scored more goals (14) than any other male player in the tournament’s history. Portugal, who won Euro 2016, play France next Friday with a semi-final on the line.
It was at Euro 2004, hosted by Portugal, that Ronaldo made his debut in the competition. He scored twice in the tournament, including the opening goal against the Netherlands in the semi-final before losing to Greece in the final.
Ronaldo, the men’s all-time top scorer with 130 goals, has yet to score a single goal in the four matches at Euro 2024. He has scored at least one goal in each of the previous five matches in the competition.
During Monday’s win over Slovenia, Ronaldo saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Jan Oblak in the 114th minute. After being in tears during the halftime break between the first and second extra time, he converted his spot-kick in the shootout to help Portugal advance.
“Of course it’s frustrating when we can’t score, but it’s football,” Ronaldo said afterwards. “In the end the result was positive, that was the most important thing.
“I lost twice on penalties this year [to Al Ain in a penalty shootout in the Asian Champions League quarterfinals and to Al Hilal in the King Cup of Champions final]and now I won. I think football has to be fair sometimes, and it was fair because I think Portugal deserved to win.”
Euro 2028, when Ronaldo will be 43 years old, will be co-hosted by England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
