The Portugal National Football Team is in the midst of the 2024 European Championships, where they defeated Slovenia via penalties in the Round of 16 to set up a quarterfinals matchup with France on July 5. The team obviously has its attention on the French, who are the top-ranked team in the tournament. However, star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has generated headlines, not due to his impending showdown with Kylian Mbappe, but rather with his football future.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner stated that the current European Championship will be his last as a player. Ronaldo would be 43 years old by the time the 2028 Euros come around.
“It is, without doubt, my last European Championship,” Ronaldo said. “But I’m not emotional about that. I’m moved by all that football means—by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm for seeing my supporters, my family, the affection people have for me.”
It will be a fitting end for 2024 to mark the end of Ronaldo’s Euros career as it’s the 20-year anniversary of when his legacy with the Portuguese National Team started.
The 2004 Euros was Ronaldo’s first major international tournament with Portugal, and he also scored his first two international goals at the 2004 European Championship. Those were the first two of what is currently 130 international goals for him, making him the all-time leading scorer for both Portugal and overall in men’s international soccer.
Ronaldo has already cemented his legacy at the Euros, highlighted by Portugal winning the 2016 European Championship, which is the only major international tournament victory of his career. He’s competing in his sixth European Championship, which is a record, and he’s also played in and won the most Euro matches ever. His 14 goals and eight assists are both the most in competition history, while he won the 2016 Silver Boot and the 2020 Golden Boot.
While the awards and accomplishments are nice, Ronaldo cites the road he traveled to reach those achievements are what he’s most fond of.
“The most important thing about the journey I’ve been on is the enthusiasm I still have for being here,” Ronaldo said. “It’s 20 years representing and playing with the national team, bringing joy to people, to the family, my children, that is what motivates me most.”
It was very evident how much enthusiasm and passion he still has for the game during Portugal’s July 1 victory over Slovenia. The game was scoreless and went into extra time, with Ronaldo having a potentially game-winning penalty kick in the 105th minute. He fired a shot low and to the left of Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, but the Atletico Madrid keeper made an amazing dive to prevent the ball from reaching the back of the net. After the last 15 minutes of extra time went without a goal, the two teams prepared for a penalty shootout, but not before cameras captured Ronaldo openly crying on the pitch at his missed opportunity to win the game.
Fortunately for him, Portugal had another chance, and he specifically had another penalty kick opportunity in the shootout. Kicking first for Portugal, he fired a shot to Oblak’s lower right this time, and though the keeper guessed right, he wasn’t able to make the save. That gave Portugal the lead in the shootout—one they would never relinquish as they prevailed 3–0 on penalties.
While Ronaldo has ruled out the 2028 Euros, that doesn’t mean his time with the national team is over after this tournament.
Portugal didn’t qualify for the 2024 Olympics, however, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is 23 months away. As a seven-time domestic league champion, a five-time UEFA Champions League champion, and that aforementioned Euros title with Portugal, the only thing missing from his resume is a World Cup championship.
Ronaldo’s best finish at that tournament was fourth place, which came in his debut in 2006, while the team made the quarterfinals in its last appearance in 2022. He would also have a number of potential records in play if he’s still around for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. No player has ever played in six World Cups before, a feat that Ronaldo—and Lionel Messi—could achieve if they suit up in 2026. Ronaldo is the only player who has scored in five different World Cups, and he could extend his own record by scoring in a sixth come 2026.
