Cristiano Ronaldo’s final European Championship ended on a sour note when Portugal was knocked out by France in the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5.
Ronaldo, who had led his side to the Euro title in 2016, failed to score a single goal in this edition of the tournament, having featured in all five matches. Despite getting an opportunity from the spot in the round of 16 game against Slovakia, his penalty was saved by Jan Oblak.
Ronaldo took to his social media to break the silence and address the fans in an emotional post.
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“We wanted more. We deserved more. For us. For each one of you. For Portugal,” Ronaldo wrote.
“We are grateful for everything you have given us and for everything we have achieved so far. On and off the field, I am sure that this legacy will be honored and will continue to be built. Together,” he added.
Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in European Championships with 15 goals, and could feature in the FIFA World Cup 2026, when he will be 41-years-old.
When asked about Ronaldo’s position in Portugal’s squad from here on, head coach Roberto Martinez said, “We just finished the game, everything is still too raw, we’re suffering a defeat as a team, there’s no individual decisions at this point.
“We lost, but with pride, in the Portuguese style of giving everything.”
Martinez said the team’s younger players would improve as a result of the tense clash against France.
“Our players will grow a lot from this experience,” continued Martinez. The personality, the chances, how we created danger in the final third. It was a performance that makes us look to the future with great pride,” he commented reviewing Portugal’s performance in Euro 2024..
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