Ronaldo - the end or the ellipsis?

Ronaldo is still playing well at the age of 40.

But this time, it wasn't for a team, but for a man. Cristiano Ronaldo, at the age of 40, did what only legends can do: lift the national cup for the third time in his career and turn his tears into an immortal symbol of pride.

The old generation has not yet retreated, and their successors have not yet been able to surpass them.

In the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain, Ronaldo didn't play the full 90 minutes, wasn't the player with the most touches on the ball, but he was the one who ultimately decided the match. In the 61st minute, from a seemingly unremarkable situation, he positioned himself perfectly and coolly struck the ball to equalize the score at 2-2 for Portugal.

That was his 138th goal for the national team, and his eighth goal in nine Nations League matches this season – an extraordinary statistic for a player currently playing in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo was substituted in the 88th minute, but his spirit was still evident in every step his teammates took. The image of CR7 breaking down in tears after the fateful penalty shootout was not just a picture of emotion, but also the final declaration of a king: "I have all the club titles, but nothing compares to victory for my country."

The Ronaldo-Yamal saga was once portrayed by the media as a transition between two generations. On one side was a 40-year-old superstar, on the other a 17-year-old rising star of La Roja. But ultimately, only one person decided the final. And that was still Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo remains the driving force of Portugal.

Yamal had shone in the semi-final, tormenting the French defense, but was completely neutralized in the final. Not just once, Ronaldo personally dropped back to defend, directly dispossessing the young player hailed as the future of Spanish football. Theoretically, CR7 only touched the ball 22 times, but each touch was a subtle, effective, and cold-blooded element in the tactical picture.

This also marks Roberto Martinez's first victory at the national team level – a remarkable achievement after he had been doubted following the failure of Belgium's golden generation. And the man who "saved" Martinez was none other than Ronaldo.

Since Martinez took over Portugal after the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo has been given absolute trust and has repaid it with the most impressive goal-scoring performance of any coach who has managed him. Therefore, rumors about the Portuguese Football Federation wanting to replace him with Mourinho or Jorge Jesus now seem meaningless. How could they remove a coach who just led the national team to European glory with Ronaldo at the center of their strategy?

When glory becomes the ultimate mission.

The Nations League may not have the same stature as the World Cup or the European Championship, but for Ronaldo, every title bearing his national flag is valuable as a confirmation: age cannot hinder belief and passion.

Portugal still needs Ronaldo for the 2026 World Cup.

In a country once considered the epitome of modern football, Ronaldo delivered a wake-up call to "La Roja." Not with speed, not with physical prowess, but with his understanding of the game, his ability to sense space and timing – qualities only acquired after two decades at the top.

Ronaldo might be called "old." But his "oldness" is the steadfastness of a legend, an age that any player dreams of reaching: where every run is a chapter in history, every goal a legacy.

If this marks the end for Ronaldo on the international stage, it will be a glorious one. If not, then the next chapter – at the 2026 World Cup – promises to be another stage for the king to once again step into the spotlight.