Cristiano’s future with the national team remains uncertain in Portugal.
Lisbon, July 7 (EFE)
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future with the Portuguese national team is currently uncertain in the country, as everyone awaits news on whether their captain will retire from the squad after their World Cup elimination or if he will continue under whoever replaces Spanish coach Roberto Martínez.
Ronaldo dominates the front pages of Portuguese newspapers this Tuesday, both sports and general interest, which report on the striker’s tears following the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 of what was his last World Cup.
“Ronaldo says goodbye in tears,” write Record and Correio da Manhã – Portugal’s highest-circulation newspaper – of which the player is a shareholder.
Meanwhile, Jornal de Notícias uses a Spanish headline, “Goodbye,” and also mentions “Ronaldo in tears at his ‘last dance’.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, confirmed after the match against Spain that this would be his last World Cup, but he preferred to reflect more carefully on his future with the Portuguese national team.
“It was my last World Cup, but there will be time to think about the rest, to be with my family, and not make rash decisions. And to move on with life,” he told the press.
Whatever happens, Cristiano has assured everyone that he has a “clear conscience” for having always given his all for the national team and recalled the three titles he won: the 2016 European Championship and two Nations Leagues.
“Tomorrow I’ll wake up the same as today, with a clear conscience. I’ve won three titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal didn’t have any titles. I’m happy. The biggest title I won with the national team was in 2016—the European Championship—for me it has the same significance as a World Cup. Tomorrow is another day, and life goes on,” he said.
Mikel Merino’s 91st-minute goal secured Spain’s passage to the quarterfinals and marked the end of Roberto Martínez’s tenure as Portugal’s manager, who is now searching for a replacement.
The Portuguese press considers it a given that the Catalan coach’s successor will be Jorge Jesus, former manager of Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, and Brazilian club Flamengo, who most recently coached both Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, winning the league title with them.
Cristiano declined to comment on the potential new manager (“It’s not the right time to talk about who will come”) and praised Martínez.
“I loved working with him. A great coach, a great human being, and what he has done for Portugal is truly commendable,” he said.
And he concluded: “He has won a title with Portugal. Many people don’t give it the value it deserves, but Portugal hadn’t won anything before, and lately they’ve won titles, which shows how good you have to be to win a title with Portugal. I want to thank him and wish him all the happiness in the world.”
This is not an unprecedented situation for either Portugal or Cristiano Ronaldo, who had already considered ending his time with the national team after the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
He finished that tournament in tears after the quarter-final defeat to Morocco, an unhappy ending to a competition in which he was a central figure due to disagreements with his then-club, Manchester United, and later with the national team coach, Fernando Santos, who relegated him to the bench.
Cristiano Ronaldo has until September to make a decision, as Portugal will begin the defense of its Nations League title at home against Wales on the 24th of that month. EFE
