Cristiano Ronaldo, the 38-year-old Portuguese football star, has restated his unwavering commitment to the national team, as he prepares to achieve his 200th international appearance against Iceland during Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Having set a new men’s international record with 197 caps earned in March against Liechtenstein, Ronaldo conveyed his determination to continue representing Portugal during a press conference held in Reykjavik on Monday. He said: “Reaching 200 international matches isn’t for just anyone, it shows the love I have for my country and my team.”
Since Roberto Martinez took over as Portugal’s coach earlier this year, Ronaldo has demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting four goals in three games. However, he was unable to find the back of the net during last week’s 3-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With his 200th international game approaching, Ronaldo expressed his eagerness to score, saying: “It would be spectacular to crown my 200th international game with a goal.” He also acknowledged that his pursuit of records is not intentional, stating, “I’m not chasing records, they’re chasing me.”
Martinez confirmed that Ronaldo, who now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, will start the game. Martinez expressed his pride in Ronaldo’s achievement, remarking: “A player reaching 200 matches, that’s unique. It’s a source of pride for Portuguese football.” Portugal has been dominant in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, leading group J and securing three consecutive wins without conceding a goal, amassing a total of 13 goals.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
