Monday, January 20

Cristiano Ronaldo's fate at the 2026 World Cup is already known as Portugal are now out of the Euros

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo looks desolate after penalty shootout defeat (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo's future in international football hangs in the balance after Portugal withdrew from Euro 2024. Captain Ronaldo and his team-mates were sent off from Germany on Friday night by France, who won 5-3 in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals after 120 goalless minutes at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had previously said that this would be his last European Championship at the age of 39. However, that does not necessarily mean he will not be present at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

He has already hinted that he plans to make the trip to North America, despite his advanced age. In a conversation with Arsenal legend Freddie Ljungberg last December, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez shared a discussion he had with Ronaldo when he first took over.

Via the Manchester Evening News, Martinez said: “He was very close to reaching 200 caps. Something no one has ever done before. I asked [Ronaldo] “Was he interested in reaching 200 caps or not? He said: '250, I'm interested'.”

Ronaldo has since surpassed the 200-cap mark and currently has 212 caps for his country. To reach his ambitious target of 250 caps, he would need to continue playing regularly and secure a place in the next World Cup squad.

According to reports from Saudi Arabia last year, Ronaldo is indeed preparing to end his career with a bang. The legendary forward is reportedly aiming to play until 2027, which could be Portugal's last match at the next World Cup.

Portuguese players depressed

Portugal were eliminated from Euro 2024 at the quarter-final stage (Image: Getty)

However, Martinez, after Portugal's defeat, refused to engage in discussions about his future or that of Pepe, 41. He was asked if they had played their last games for their countries.

In response, Martinez told reporters at his post-match press conference: “No. Everything is too hard. We are still suffering from the defeat. There are no individual decisions to be made at this stage.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo's mentor at Manchester United, has expressed doubts about his chances of playing at the World Cup. In an interview with Sport Bild, he said: “I can't imagine that. Football will become even faster and more athletic in the years to come.”

“Also, the space for central strikers will become increasingly smaller. Unlike defenders, it is more difficult for strikers to play at the highest level when they are older.”

Ronaldo failed to score in his five starts at the Euros, missing a penalty in the round of 16 against Slovenia. He did, however, score in the ensuing penalty shootout and converted his penalty against France.

But critics question his role and the impact he has in open play, particularly given the rich array of attacking alternatives Portugal have at their disposal for Martinez. It seems Ronaldo would be delighted to be given the chance to feature at the 2026 World Cup as things stand, even if the decision could potentially be taken away from him by then.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1919713/cristiano-ronaldo-2026-world-cup-euro-2024

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