Cristiano Ronaldo explains Portugal tears and drops major retirement hint

During Euro 2024, Portugal’s captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, went through a very emotional moment. In a last-16 encounter against Slovenia, the renowned Portuguese forward missed a critical penalty, causing an emotional outburst on the pitch. The world has been captivated by this episode and Ronaldo’s retirement-related hinting.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was scoreless in the tournament’s group phase. He wanted to make a big difference in the crucial encounter against Slovenia. He received multiple free kicks during the match and came close to scoring on a few of crosses. But in extra time, Portugal was handed a penalty, and that was his big break. When Slovenian goalie Jan Oblak produced an incredible save, Ronaldo went up to take the shot and broke down in tears.

Portugal prevailed in the penalty shootout in spite of the missed penalty. Their custodian, Diogo Costa, made three outstanding saves to help them win 3-0. In the shootout, Ronaldo converted his penalty to help his team move on to the next round.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s emotional ride with Portugal

Ronaldo discussed his conflicted feelings with Teledeporte following the game. He talked about how disappointed he was to miss the penalty at first and how happy he was after Portugal won. “Football provides you both initial pain and ultimate ecstasy. These are situations beyond explanation, remarked Ronaldo. He admitted that Oblak’s superb save kept him from scoring and that he missed an opportunity to lead his country’s team.

Ronaldo also discussed his penalty-taking method, noting that he had executed them flawlessly all season long. But just when it mattered most, he was turned down. He nevertheless underlined how crucial it is to celebrate the team’s accomplishments. “Having fun while qualifying is the most important thing. The team performed incredibly well, we battled to the very end, and a careful analysis of the game shows that Portugal should have won because they had more opportunities,” he continued.

Retirement hints from Cristiano Ronaldo

Apart from talking about the missed penalty, Ronaldo also made a significant indication regarding his playing career. He disclosed that his final European Championship would be in 2024. “This is undoubtedly my final Euro,” Ronaldo acknowledged. He made it clear, though, that his love of the game and the happiness it gives his family and supporters overrode any thoughts of quitting football.

Ronaldo stressed that he is motivated more by making people happy than by accumulating more awards or trophies. “My passion for the game, the thrill of meeting my family and fans, and the love that I receive from others.” It’s not that I’m giving up on football. What drives me most is making others happy,” he said.

Ronaldo hasn’t shown any indications of slowing down at the club level despite this statement. In 2023–2024, he scored 50 goals for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. His retirement may still be a few years off, since there have also been rumours that he would play till the 2026 World Cup.

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