Published 18:37 IST, June 22nd 2023
For first time, 38-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo appears to finally recognise his limitations
38-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo played against Iceland in his 200th game for Portugal, and he later scored his 123rd goal in the 89th minute.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Why you’re reading this: On Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo made history against Iceland in a UEFA Euro qualifiers 2023 battle. The Portuguese skipper set a Guinness World Record for having played for his nation the most times abroad. Having made his debut in 2003, the player was making his 200th appearance for Portugal. We observed the iconic CR7 having fun with journalists during the post-match interview.
3 things you need to know
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 123 goals in 200 appearances for Portugal
- Portugal has won all 4 games in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers so far
- Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledges that he is getting old
POR vs ISL: Euro Qualifiers 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo started the game against Iceland on Tuesday and before the match, the player was honoured with the Guinness World Record for making the most international appearances in history. During the match, the 38-year-old was seen being desperate to score a goal on this big day in front of his nation.
CR7 and Portugal failed to score in the first half as the score was 0-0, as the second half started Ronaldo was seen being frustrated failing to hit the back of the net and being caught offside most of the time during Portugal’s attack. However, the skipper was on the right side at the right time in the 89th minute to hit the back of the net but it was ruled offside by the referee, the player appealed for the goal and after the VAR check, the headline had been written that Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner in the Portugal vs Iceland match.
Also Read: Man United Star David De Gea Gives Apt One-word Summary Of Cristiano Ronaldo's Commitment
What did Cristiano Ronaldo say to the journalists?
Talking to the reporters during the press conference one of the reporters zoomed the camera towards Ronaldo’s face and after Ronaldo was aware of the actions, he replied in his classic way reminding of the times at Real Madrid.
Ronaldo stated: “Not too close, eh! Too many wrinkles” With a smile on his face and burst into laughter, Ronaldo acknowledged that he is getting older in a hilarious way, making the reporters surrounding him laugh too.
Following the termination of his contract with Manchester United, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said his final goodbyes to European football last year, being one of the best footballers of all time and ending his rivalry with Lionel Messi. This came following his candid interview with Piers Morgan, in which he disparaged the owners, board, and management of Manchester United since he joined them from Juventus. Ronaldo left Europe and joined the Saudi Arabian team, Al-Nassr, for free to cap the eventful narrative.
But given that Ronaldo recently made light of his wrinkles in front of the media, it appears as though he has also begun to face the unpleasant fact that his career will be ending soon.
Updated 18:36 IST, June 22nd 2023