Football legend and one of the greatest players ever to have played the sport, Cristiano Ronaldo did not have the finest of Euro campaigns and also made several disasters that cost his team immensely.
However, the Portuguese manager, Roberto Martinez, believes that the 39-year-old Al-Nassr star still has much to offer in his national side. Ronaldo has been included in Portugal’s squad as they start preparing for the Nations League games by facing Croatia and Scotland as their opponents.
His selection comes at the back of a disgusting European Championship where not only did the European star fail to score a goal but also missed a vital on-field penalty. His team, though, lost to the iconic French side on penalties in the quarterfinals.
However, Ronaldo might not receive the same roar as he steps on the field but is still named the skipper of the Portuguese side. Ronaldo adds on to his record of most international caps every time he stars for them in the starting XI.
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Ronaldo has 130 goals internationally playing for Portugal in 212 matches, and he will be making his 213th cap appearance in the Nations League if he starts. Ronaldo, if he stars in the Nations League, might fancy his chances to feature in the 2026 World Cup as well; hence, looking at his determination, his selection should not surprise many.
However, the Portugal side and the manager, Martinez, have a huge pool of attacking players to choose from, with the likes of Joao Felix, Diogo Jota, Rafael Leao, and Neto. The Nations League preparations will be Ronaldo’s next outing against Croatia since the Saudi Pro League is on a break due to a flurry of international duties.