Now 31 years old, is Euro 2016 the last chance at international silverware for Ronaldo?
The 2015-16 season saw the forward receive his third Champions League winners medal alongside a series of domestic league titles and cups won with both Real Madrid and Manchester United. Individually, Ronaldo has been crowned as the world’s best three times, but like Leo Messi, his ever-present rival for every award, international success has eluded this titan of the modern era.
That’s not to say Ronaldo has underperformed in the Portuguese shirt. In 2014 he became the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer, just months after nearly single-handedly navigating his side through a World Cup playoff against Sweden.
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Despite entering the World Cup itself under an injury cloud, Ronaldo still took the field in all three group matches, setting up an injury-time equaliser in their second match against the United States and producing the winning goal in the final group match against Ghana. However, with his side crashing out of the tournament on goal-difference, many wondered if the talismanic forward had done enough to aid his side’s cause.
The Euros have been more promising for Ronaldo and Portugal, but heartache has been ever-present. The infamous 2004 tournament, held in Portugal, was Ronaldo’s first foray into the continental championships ended in defeat to surprise packets Greece in the final. The following two tournaments saw his teammates simply outclassed by better opponents – in the quarter-finals against Germany in 2008 and in the semi-finals against Spain in 2012.
The 2012 exit will perhaps sting the most for Ronaldo. After both sides failed to break the deadlock in 120 minutes it went to penalties, but the Portuguese were eliminated before the Real Madrid man even had the chance to take his spot-kick.
While there is no doubt that Ronaldo will make the squad if Portugal qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, there is a good chance that he will no longer be at the peak of his powers. In France, it’s now or never for CR7.
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