Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, scored a brace to help his side reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League (UNL). Still going strong as he approaches his 40th birthday, the Real Madrid star has said he will consider retirement when he loses the ‘motivation’ to play football.
Portugal defeated Poland 5-1 in their 2024-2025 UNL League A Group 1 match at the Estádio Dragão in Portugal on Saturday (16 June).
Ronaldo scored a late, multi-goal effort to help his team to victory. He opened the scoring in the 27th minute when he converted a penalty kick after a handball foul on Polish defender Jakub Kibior.
He also scored Portugal’s fifth goal in the 42nd minute with a bicycle kick from Vitinha’s cross from the right. The goal was the 910th of Ronaldo’s career.
In addition to Ronaldo’s multi-goal performance, 메이저사이트 Portugal scored a total of five goals in the match, including an early opener from Raphael Varane and further goals from Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto.
Poland could only manage to pull one back in the 43rd minute through Dominik Marchuk.
With the victory, Portugal secured top spot in the group with 13 points from four wins and one draw and advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
‘I just want to enjoy myself,’ Ronaldo said after the game when asked about his retirement plans, according to Fabrizio Romano, who is familiar with the European transfer market. “Retirement plans? If it’s in a year or two… I don’t know (yet),” he said.
He added: ‘I’m about to turn 40. I really want to enjoy football (now) and as long as I’m motivated, I’ll continue. The day I stop being motivated is the day I retire.’