First it was Neymar Jr., and on then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Two superstars and faces of this generation of football bidding adieu to the international stage.
The world-class striker had his farewell on Monday as Portugal lost its Round of 16 match to Spain 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino. It was yet another crushing end to a World Cup for Ronaldo, whose best finish with his country winds up being a fourth-place result during his debut back in 2006.
Since then, there have been plenty of disappointments and underachievement for Ronaldo and Portugal at the World Cup, but even now that it’s all over, he doesn’t seem too distraught by it, comparing their 2016 European Championship triumph to winning a World Cup.
“I’m sad to leave the World Cup this way. As I said yesterday, I gave it my all, and I leave with a clear conscience. That’s the life of a footballer. You have to move forward. It was my last World Cup, yes. But as for the rest, there’s time to think, to be with my family, and not say things in the heat of the moment.
I’ve given my all. I’ve won three titles with Portugal. The 2016 [Euros] title is on the same level as a World Cup,”
The 41-year-old Ronaldo tallied three goals on 14 shots in five games at this tournament. He finishes his World Cup career with 11 goals and two assists in 27 appearances.
Many will argue that it’s not given that the World Cup is widely viewed as the more prestigious tournament, but that shouldn’t take away from how special the Euros are or the impact Ronaldo has made on Portugal.
Whether you love him or hate him, football won’t be the same without Ronaldo.
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