Legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo (Alnasr) has been named the most disappointing player at Euro 2024.
“Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the biggest disappointment of Euro 2024,” global media outlet SportsBuddy reported on Wednesday (June 12).
According to the media, French defender William Gallas, who formerly played for Chelsea, named the Portugal national soccer team captain as the most disappointing player at the European Football Association (UEFA) 2024 European Football Championship (Euro 2024) in Germany.
“I have to say it with respect,” Galas said in an interview, “Cristiano Ronaldo was the most disappointing player of Euro 2024.”
“Despite a great career and a great example, this tournament has not been kind to Ronaldo,” he said. “I wanted him to succeed in his last Euro, but he didn’t.”
“At the age of 39, Ronaldo had so much expected of him by society and others, but he didn’t score a single goal and looked under pressure most of the time,” he said. “It was painful to watch him struggle, especially because we know he is a legend.”
Born in 1985, the legendary Portuguese forward is now 39 years old. The inevitable passage of time has taken its toll on the once best goal-scorer in the world, and he was one of Galas’ biggest disappointments at Euro 2024.
Ronaldo, who captained the Portugal national soccer team at Euro 2024, became the first player to compete at the tournament six times. A regular at the tournament since Euro 2008, Ronaldo made history by earning a spot on the Euro 2024 roster at a tournament where his self-management has been criticized.
Due to his age, this was expected to be Ronaldo’s last Euro tournament, so many fans were eager to see how he would perform, but he ended Euro 2024 with zero goals.
Portugal was eliminated from Euro 2024 on June 6 after losing 3-5 on penalties in the quarterfinals against France at the Volkssparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany. Ronaldo started the match and played the full 120 minutes, but ultimately failed to find the back of the net.
Ronaldo is a legendary forward with 130 career A-match goals, but he only managed one assist in five appearances at Euro 2024. He missed a penalty in the round of 16 against Slovenia that almost cost his country the tournament.
As Ronaldo finished Euro 2024 without scoring a goal, many argued that his retirement was becoming increasingly realistic. Two of Ronaldo’s closest friends, Manchester United legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville, even suggested that he should retire from the national team immediately.
“Ronaldo should take a break and step away from the national team,” Keane said, according 카지노사이트 to the UK’s Daily Mail. “If he’s still playing at club level, it’s better to consider (returning to the national team) when the World Cup comes around,” he said.
“Ronaldo can continue to play, but not for the national team. How many players have retired from the national team at a young age and continued their careers at club level?” “One of the decisions you have to make at the end of your career is to step aside to allow other players to play. You can catch people out, and that’s not good for the team in the big picture,” he added.
Neville, who shared the pitch with Ronaldo at United, added: “Some players know when to give up, but some don’t. You have to tell Ronaldo. It depends on who tells him (when to give up),” he said, offering heartfelt advice to his former teammate.
He added: “I don’t think Ronaldo has the ability. I’m not saying that Portugal would have done better in this tournament if they had Diogo Jota,” he added, “but the last time Ronaldo had that overwhelming character was at Man United.”
While many have suggested that Ronaldo should consider retiring from international soccer after his disappointing showing at Euro 2024, the Real Madrid star is reportedly eyeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America in two years’ time.
According to NDTV Sports, “Ronaldo has no intention of quitting soccer just yet. “He is determined to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and bring the trophy home to his country,” the source explained, adding, “He also wants to become the first player in history to score a goal in six appearances at the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament is held every four years, and no player has ever played in six World Cups. In addition to Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Antonio Carvajal, Lothar Matthaeus, Gianluigi Buffon, Rafael Marquez, Andres Guardado, and Guillermo Ochoa are among the eight players with five World Cup appearances, the most in the tournament’s history.
If Ronaldo makes the final roster for the 2026 tournament, he could make World Cup and soccer history. However, Ronaldo will be 41 years old by the time the 2026 tournament rolls around, raising questions about his ability to make the Portugal roster.