Ronaldo Contemplated Retirement from International Football after World Cup Disappointment
Cristiano Ronaldo, who is 38 years old, will be included in the Portuguese team for their upcoming matches against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. He is set to play in the Euro 2024 qualifier against Liechtenstein, where he is expected to break an international record.
When Portugal plaied against Liechtenstein on Thursday night, Cristiano Ronaldo will become the footballer with the most international appearances of all time.
Currently tied with Kuwait striker Bader Al-Mutawa at 196 appearances, Ronaldo will surpass him as Al-Mutawa was not included in his team for this week’s matches. Ronaldo is set to achieve this milestone in the upcoming game against Liechtenstein.
Prior to the start of the match, it was announced that Cristiano Ronaldo would be part of the starting lineup for the game, playing alongside his former Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes. In addition, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, who both play for Manchester City, were also named in the starting XI.
This announcement follows Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent admission that he had contemplated retiring from international football after his World Cup disappointment. The footballer has previously played for top teams such as Real Madrid, Juventus, and Sporting Lisbon.
During the tournament in Qatar, Cristiano Ronaldo was the only free agent on the Portugal team after leaving Manchester United following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.
He scored a goal in Portugal’s first group-stage victory against Ghana, but his role was reduced as the tournament progressed.
In the knockout stages, Ronaldo was brought on as a substitute but was unable to help Portugal advance past the quarter-finals, where they were surprisingly defeated by Morocco.
After the match, Ronaldo was seen in tears and it was widely believed that this would be his last World Cup appearance.
However, in a press conference prior to a recent match, Ronaldo admitted that it could have been his last game for Portugal altogether, stating that he had to weigh his options carefully in life.
