Portugal’s defeat at the European Championship on Friday likely marked the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary international career. Despite no official statement on his future with the national team, the 39-year-old struggled to reclaim former glories in the tournament held in Germany.
Ronaldo exited Euro 2024 without scoring, except in penalty shootouts. Portugal lost 3-5 to France on penalties in their quarter-final match after a goalless draw, during which Ronaldo missed a critical chance in extra time but converted his penalty in the shootout.
“It’s too soon and raw after the match to talk about that, and there have been no individual decisions made,” coach Roberto Martinez said when asked if this had been Ronaldo’s last game for Portugal.
Ronaldo’s legacy will forever spark debates about his place among football’s greatest, including Pele, Diego Maradona, and long-time rival Lionel Messi—all of whom have won the World Cup, a feat Ronaldo has not achieved. However, his national team statistics are unparalleled. Friday’s loss to France at the Volksparkstadion was Ronaldo’s 212th cap, far ahead of Messi, who recently earned his 185th cap for Argentina.
Ronaldo’s 130 international goals also set him apart, with Messi trailing at 108. “Cristiano is in the national team of Portugal because he deserves to be,” Martinez had stated earlier in the tournament.
Ronaldo’s longevity in international football is remarkable. Debuting for Portugal in 2003 at 18, he replaced Luis Figo during a friendly against Kazakhstan. He became a regular by Euro 2004, where Portugal, as hosts, were upset by Greece in the final.
Ronaldo is the first to play in six European Championships, holding the record with 14 goals in 30 matches, and winning the trophy in 2016 when Portugal defeated France. Ironically, Ronaldo left that final early in tears due to a knee injury. Including his Euro qualifying goals, Ronaldo has scored 55 times in the competition, with Harry Kane next at 29.
In World Cup history, Ronaldo has played 22 times, scoring eight goals across five tournaments. Over his 21-year career with Portugal, they never missed World Cup qualification, with their best performance being a semi-final place in 2006, where Ronaldo scored the decisive penalty against England in the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo’s career is highlighted by five Ballon d’Or awards and remains active at the club level. He was the top scorer with 35 goals in the Saudi league last season and has another year’s contract with Al Nassr.
