Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo feels the learning and improving the game at the top level, never stops. Ronaldo is regarded as one of the best football players of this era and he still has the hunger to keep going strongly despite turning 39.
Ronaldo has maintained a high level of fitness, which has helped him reap rewards at the club as well as the International level. The talisman is all set to lead Portugal in the upcoming Euro 2024, which will be hosted by Germany, across 10 venues.
Ronaldo has an impeccable record while playing in Euros, as he has scored 14 goals in 25 appearances for the national team.
Ronaldo said on UEFA website, “Year after year, we’re always trying to improve certain things. There’s always room for improvement. I think I am a complete player, but there are always things I can perfect. And, with age, there are things we weren’t so good at in the past, and we start losing some abilities, so it’s important to try and adapt.”
“That’s the key word. If a player wants to have longevity, they need to have a strong adaptability and the characteristics for that adaptation. That’s what I tried to do. It’s no coincidence that I have been playing for 20 years at the highest level, and maintaining that performance is very hard. Only with a lot of dedication and hard work can we achieve those numbers.”
Ronaldo said his team has got a lot of promise and talent and they are going to deliver for the Portuguese fans.
“I firmly believe that this team will bring a lot of joy to the Portuguese fans, beginning with this EURO.”However, in my opinion, the best generation of players are always those who win (trophies). I hope this national team will win because it’s an incredibly talented squad.”
Portugal
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Patricio (Roma).
Defenders: Antonio Silva (Benfica), Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Nelson Semedo (Wolves), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Neves (Benfica), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Otavio Monteiro (Al Nassr), Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain).
Forwards: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Francisco Conceicao (Porto), Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain), Joao Felix (Barcelona), Pedro Neto (Wolves), Rafael Leao (AC Milan).