One day after departing the field in tears in Qatar, Cristiano Ronaldo says his dream of winning the World Cup for Portugal has “ended.”
In his first public comments since Portugal was eliminated by upstart Morocco in the quarterfinals, the 37-year-old international superstar admitted in a social-media post-Sunday that it’s “time to take stock” of his career after 19 years with the national team.
“To win a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram. “I fought for it. I fought a lot for that dream. In the five times I was present in World Cups throughout 16 years, always next to great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave it my all.
“I left everything on the pitch. I never faced away from the fight and I never gave up on that dream…Unfortunately, that dream ended [Saturday].”
Ronaldo scored only one goal in Portugal’s five matches in the tournament — on a penalty kick in the group-stage opener against Ghana. He came off the bench in two knockout-round games after being removed from the starting lineup by manager Fernando Santos.
Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cups, but he might not get another chance in North America in 2026, when he will be 41.
“There’s no point in reacting rashly,” Ronaldo wrote. “I just want everybody to know that a lot has been said, a lot has been written, a lot has been speculated about, but my dedication to Portugal has never wavered for an instant.
“For now, there is not much else to say. Thank you, Portugal. Thank you, Qatar. The dream was beautiful while it lasted… Now, we wait for what time will tell and allow everyone to take their own conclusions.”
In the meantime, Ronaldo is without a club team following the termination of his contract by Manchester United last month after he criticized the English Premier League club in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan. Reports have indicated that Ronaldo could land a massive deal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
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