Portugal’s star forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, has recently made the bold statement that winning the European Championship title is just as prestigious as clinching the FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo made history on Thursday by becoming the first player to score 900 goals during the UEFA Nations League game against Croatia.
The 39-year-old striker put behind him a disappointing Euro 2024 in which he failed to score as he turned in a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute at the Estadio da Luz to reach the landmark.
Following the game, the Portuguese star mentioned that he is considering the possibility of participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although he emphasized that it is not currently a top priority for him.
Ronaldo further stated that he has won two trophies for Portugal, including Euros 2016, which he thinks is equal to winning a World Cup.
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“Portugal winning Euros is equivalent to winning a World Cup,” Ronaldo said.
“I’ve already won two trophies for Portugal that I really wanted. I’m not motivated by that. I’m motivated by enjoying football and the records come naturally.”
For the unversed, prior to Ronaldo, French striker Kylian Mbappe also made a similar statement, claiming that the European Championship is more difficult than the World Cup, a tournament.
“The Euros are complicated. For me, it is more complicated than a World Cup,” Mbappe said in June.
“Even if there is more pressure at the World Cup. All the teams know each other, we play against each other all the time. Tactically, it is a very similar football.”
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