Portuguese and Al-Nassr superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo has recently opened up about his plans for retirement from the Portugal national team.
In an exclusive interview with NOW, set to broadcast on Jornal as 9 later today, Ronaldo revealed that his decision to retire will be spontaneous and not pre-announced.
"I am immensely proud to represent our colours, it is a dream. Therefore, when I leave the national team I will not tell anyone beforehand, it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a very well thought out one. Right now, what I want is to be able to help the team," he stated.
Portugal's coach, Roberto Martínez, has affirmed that Ronaldo remains a crucial part of the squad ahead of the Euro Nations League.
Despite a challenging Euro 2024 campaign where Portugal was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals, Ronaldo continues to score goals at an impressive rate for his club, Al Nassr. However, his future with the national team has come into sharp focus since the tournament.
Ronaldo's illustrious international career began in 2003, and he has since become arguably the greatest international player of all time, holding the record for the most goals scored in men's international football with 130 goals.
His legacy includes winning the European Championship in 2016, a highlight in his two-decade-long journey with the national team.
The 39-year-old forward had a disappointing Euro 2024, failing to score in the group stage for the first time in his career and missing a crucial penalty in the last-16 match against Slovenia.
Despite these setbacks, Ronaldo has expressed his determination to continue playing, potentially eyeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup as his final international tournament.
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