‘I won’t play’ – Cristiano Ronaldo makes Portugal ‘win’ admission as all-time great claims to have had ‘50,000 bad games’

Cristiano Ronaldo says “I won’t play” if it means guaranteeing Portugal a win, with the all-time great claiming to have had “50,000 bad games”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Iconic forward still going strong at 40
• Has reached 218 caps for his country
• Chasing down Nations League glory

• Table of Contents

  Toggle

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  At 40 years of age, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo continues to put himself in contention for selection by club and country. Goals have continued to flow for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, with the plan being to reach 1,000 in total before any thought is given to hanging up record-setting boots.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Questions have been asked of whether he should still be a regular starter for Portugal, despite having 218 caps to his name, but Roberto Martinez continues to lean heavily on the vast experience of a man that has seen and achieved it all.

• WHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID

  Ronaldo will give his all whenever called upon, but insists he would happily stand aside if it meant that Portugal would fare better as a collective. He has said: “If I don't score and someone else scores, it's all the same to me. If Portugal has to win and I don't play, I'll sign my name right now, tell the coach and I won't play. I'll defend these colours until the death.”

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo is aware that fluctuations in form will always lead to dissenting voices, with more of those emerging on the back of a 1-0 UEFA Nations League defeat to Denmark. He has said ahead of the second leg in that quarter-final contest: “We can't always play well, things don't work out sometimes. I've played 50 thousand bad games, and so have my team-mates. All of that is part of it, the past is the past, it's about uniting the troops and being positive.”