“I have won many titles with my clubs, but nothing compares to winning for Portugal,” Ronaldo expressed. “These are tears of joy. Mission accomplished.”
Ronaldo was the first to take the field for the pre-match warmup, earning loud cheers from the fans in attendance. He entered the final after scoring the decisive goal in Portugal’s 2-1 semi-final victory over Germany in the Nations League.
Initially, he displayed frustration as Portugal squandered several clear chances. However, as the match progressed, the team found its rhythm and equalized Mikel Oyarzabal’s earlier goal with Ronaldo’s strike just after the hour mark.
Ronaldo was perfectly positioned to score Portugal’s second goal, converting from Mendes’ deflected cross, marking the 138th time he has scored for the national team.
Substituted in the 88th minute, Ronaldo shared an emotional moment with manager Roberto Martinez as he departed the field. Later, he revealed that he had been nursing an injury going into the match.
“I felt it during the warmup; it had been bothering me for a while, but for the national team, I would sacrifice everything,” Ronaldo stated. “It’s for a trophy, and I gave it my all.”
“I have lived in various countries and played for numerous clubs, but representing Portugal always feels special,” he added.
