"Going to Euro 2028?" Ronaldo, the 'leading role' battle not yet over... "Euro victory is on par with World Cup," spiritual victory despite defeat

*This content was translated by AI.

Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al Nassr), eliminated from the World Cup stage, hinted at his potential continuation with the Portugal national team. This suggests participation in the next Euro tournament.

The UK's "The Sun" reported on the 7th (Korean time) that "Ronaldo will leave the World Cup stage after this North American tournament but denies any possibility of retiring from the national team." Consequently, attention is focused on whether Ronaldo will continue playing for the national team until he turns 43 at Euro 2028.

Portugal lost 0-1 to Spain in the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) World Cup Round of 16 match held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA, on this day. Having reached only the quarterfinals in the previous 2022 Qatar tournament, Portugal was eliminated again in the Round of 16 this time, descending one step further and swallowing their disappointment.

Ronaldo started the match and played the full 90 minutes but showed lifeless movements throughout the game and failed to score. When the final whistle blew, Ronaldo finally burst into tears and left the field.

The media reported that "while Ronaldo hung his head in disappointment, rival Lionel Messi is aiming for a second consecutive victory after winning the previous 2022 Qatar World Cup."

After the match, Ronaldo reflected on his 23-year national team career while maintaining a dignified demeanor. In an interview at the mixed zone, he stated, "I am sad to be eliminated from the World Cup like this, but I gave my best and feel proud." He added, "While this is indeed my last World Cup, I will not make hasty decisions about my future driven by emotions. Instead, I will spend time with my family and deeply consider my path forward."

Ronaldo then expressed strong affection for the Euro tournament he had led to victory. He emphasized, "Before I played, Portugal had no major tournament titles," and stressed, "For me, winning Euro 2016 holds the same value as winning the World Cup."

The media noted that "Ronaldo holds the records for most appearances and most goals in men's international football history." They added, "He is only 24 goals away from reaching his career total of 1,000 goals, making it highly likely he will break this record next season on the Saudi Arabian stage."

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*This content was translated by AI.