Since his spat with former manager Fernando Santos, Cristiano Ronaldo has been coy about his international future. Due toSantos’ decision to bench the 37-year-old veteran for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the forward’s international career was in doubt.
Upon witnessingPortugal beingeliminated by Morocco in the Quarter-Finals of the tournament, he departed the field in tears.In the time after, Ronaldo moved on from Manchester United to play for Al-Nassr in the SaudiPro League.
Meanwhile, the Seleção are now managed by Roberto Martinez, who succeeded Fernando Santos. Whether the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will retire from playingfor his nation was an open question up until now,but it does not seem that this would happen anytime soon.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo going to call it quits on playing for Portugal?
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal in tears after World Cup exit. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Portugal will be playing in Euro 2024 qualification matches this month, and Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated to the team. Roberto Martinez, who coached Belgium at the World Cup, unveiled his first Portuguese squad on Friday.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a player who is very committed to the national team. A player like Cristiano brings experience, he is an important figure in the team. I don’t look at age or other aspects.
“I think Cristiano has an opportunity to help the team and transmit the experience of his career to the other players. This step is important for the players who are here. We want to make a winning team, a competitive team”, Martinez told the press.
