Cristiano Ronaldo cried again. He has cried since he left his hometown of Madeira for Lisbon as a young boy to pursue his football dream, to the loss in the EURO 2004 final, to the victory in EURO 2016, again at the UEFA Nations League 2019 championship night and now the UEFA Nations League 2025.
At 40, Ronaldo's emotions and desire to win remain intact. Having played 1,283 matches in his career, the Portuguese superstar still did not dare to witness the penalty shootout that decided the winner in the final night at the Allianz Arena. He hid his face behind his young teammate Diogo Dalot, then burst into joy when he heard that Ruben Neves had scored the final kick, helping the Seleccao defeat Spain 5-3.
Tears fell down Ronaldo's face, finally turning into a happy smile when holding the UEFA Nations League 2025 trophy in his hands, which is also his third title in the Portuguese national team shirt. On the podium and holding the trophy high, Ronaldo transformed into an immortal symbol of victory.
Ronaldo lifted the UEFA Nations League title for the second time with the Portuguese national team. |
Before the final between Portugal and Spain, everyone talked about the battle between Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal as a generational transition. Most were leaning towards victory for the young star of La Roja, who created countless magical moments at the age of 17, an age when Ronaldo had not yet made his debut for the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo himself did not spare praise for Yamal, believing that this player would hold the pinnacle of world football.
However, that did not mean Ronaldo gave up on the young players. During the match, he repeatedly dropped back to support his teammates in blocking Yamal, and successfully stole the ball from the feet of the "17-year-old magician". The responsibility and enthusiasm of the captain helped the Portuguese players maintain their spirit in the face of the terrible pressure created by Spain. They quickly reorganized after the first goal and soon found the equalizer thanks to Nuno Mendes.
When La Roja scored their second goal, it was Ronaldo who equalised. In the 60th minute, he weaved between the Spanish defenders and waited for a pass from Nuno Mendes. It was not the expected pass, as the ball hit Le Normand and arced before falling in front of the goal. There, Ronaldo showed incredible strength, trying to get his foot to shoot from close range.
Ronaldo became Portugal's hero with the equalizer 2-2 in the 60th minute. |
At the same time, he became the tournament's top scorer with 8 goals, bringing his total career goals to 938. |
That was Ronaldo's 138th goal for Portugal, 26 goals ahead of second-placed Lionel Messi in the list of players with the most goals for the national team. At the same time, it also raised his career achievement to 938 goals. The goal of 1,000 goals is probably not far away.
Not only that, this goal also helped Ronaldo become the oldest player to score in the Nations League, and also won the title of the tournament's top scorer with 8 goals. In total, he has scored 15 goals in the Nations League, more than anyone else.
This was also Ronaldo's 132nd win with Portugal, helping him surpass Sergio Ramos's 131 matches, becoming the player with the most wins with the national team. Including the club level, Ronaldo also played in his 39th final in his career. His contribution in those important matches, with 24 goals and 2 assists, made everyone take their hats off.
Ronaldo has just added another trophy to his massive collection of 34 titles. |
If there is anything that Ronaldo regrets, it is that he could not play alongside his teammates for the rest of the match. Injury forced the 40-year-old superstar to leave the field in the 84th minute, handing over the captain's armband to Bruno Fernandes.
Many say this event is a reminder that age is gradually catching up with Ronaldo. Not necessarily. At the EURO 2016 final, Ronaldo also left the field in the 25th minute. Or at the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo was even considered to be past his prime, losing his place in the starting lineup.
But Ronaldo was still there, fighting, scoring and lifting the trophy. The moment his former teammate Pepe walked out of the Allianz Arena with the Nations League Cup and placed it on the podium made Ronaldo even more radiant. For a long time, Pepe always accompanied Ronaldo on the national team. Praised as an immortal tree, but the time has come for him to say goodbye to the pitch.
Ronaldo is not. As you can see, he is still full of the desire to win and still mastering the art of winning. Every goal, win and title will be the next goal, win and title. In Ronaldo's words, everything is just beginning. And while Ronaldo is still crying, he is far from thinking about retirement.
Thanh Hai
Source: https://tienphong.vn/vo-dich-at-tuoi-40-ronaldo-lai-viet-nen-chuong-moi-voi-nhung-ky-luc-moi-post1749521.tpo
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