Cristiano Ronaldo has prolonged his record-setting profession with Portugal to the purpose the place he’s witnessing a brand new wave of Spanish expertise rise in worldwide soccer.
“When I feel I’m no longer contributing, I’ll be the first to step away,” the 39-year-old Ronaldo stated late Monday because the nationwide group prepares to renew play in Europe this week. “My motivation is to join the national team and win the Nations League.”
Portugal and Spain each play on Thursday to begin a brand new UEFA Nations League, lower than two months after the European Championship ultimate in Germany.
Although Ronaldo has captained Portugal to victory in previous editions of each competitions – the 2019 Nations League and Euro 2016 – Spain now holds each trophies, pushed by an thrilling new technology of expertise.
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s 17-year-old sensation from Euro 2024, and 20-year-old Gavi weren’t born when Ronaldo performed in his first main match ultimate, the Euro 2004 loss to Greece.
Some of Ronaldo’s peak years clashed with the nice Spain group that gained three consecutive titles at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012. In the final two of these tournaments, Spain eradicated Portugal within the knockout rounds.
Now Spain is again on prime forward of the 2026 World Cup, which may see a 41-year-old Ronaldo – and Lionel Messi, who would flip 39 throughout the match in North America – compete in a report sixth version.
When requested about his World Cup plans on Monday, Ronaldo stated in translated feedback, “I can’t give you an answer because I don’t know what will happen.”
Ronaldo was dropped from the Portugal group on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and failed to attain in 5 video games at Euro 2024.
He is now getting ready to face Croatia on Thursday and add to his males’s nationwide group information of 212 video games and 130 objectives.
“I’ll go with a clear conscience as always because I know what I am,” he stated. “I know what I do and what I will continue to do.”
The Nations League opens with the following World Cup very a lot in thoughts.
European qualifying teams for the 2026 World Cup are set to be drawn in Zurich in December, doubtless with seedings decided by FIFA world rankings up to date in November after Nations League group play ends.
World Cup qualifying in Europe sometimes begins in March, however the top-tier groups that advance to the Nations League Final Four subsequent June usually are not free till September.
Teams within the Final Four lineup should enter four-team World Cup qualifying teams, taking part in simply six video games from September to November 2025. Five-team qualifying teams should begin in March or June.
UEFA members have a barely completely different path to the 2026 World Cup as a result of they get 16 locations within the expanded 48-team finals match hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 12 group winners qualify immediately for the World Cup. The 12 runners-up enter a 16-team playoff in March 2026, with 4 further playoff entries primarily based on Nations League standings.
The 16 playoff groups are drawn into 4 playoff brackets. Single-game semifinals and finals will determine the 4 World Cup entries.
By offering groups with a qualifying route from the Nations League into the World Cups and European Championships, UEFA goals to spice up its third-tier national-team occasion.
Spain was the boys’s soccer champion at Euro 2024, the Paris Olympics, and the 2023 Nations League.
The Nations League protection begins with two away video games: Thursday in opposition to Serbia in Belgrade and Sunday in opposition to Switzerland in Geneva. Also within the group is Denmark.
The most important attraction since Euro 2024 is watching good pals Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams assault groups from every wing.
Not solely have 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić – who turns 39 on Monday – and 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski not but retired from worldwide soccer, however they may also meet in the identical Nations League group.
It must be Ronaldo vs. Modrić on Thursday in Lisbon and Modrić vs. Lewandowski on Sunday in Osijek, Croatia.
Scotland faces the veteran trio – combining for 542 nationwide group video games and 239 objectives heading into this week – six occasions in Group A1 by way of mid-November.
France, captained by Kylian Mbappé, has two standout video games: internet hosting Italy on Friday in Paris and welcoming Belgium on Monday in Lyon.
Israel completes the group and performs its first two video games in impartial Hungary because of the ongoing battle with Hamas. Israel’s residence recreation in opposition to Italy on Monday is in Budapest, and its away recreation in opposition to Belgium on Friday is in Debrecen.
The Belgian soccer federation stated in July that “no local authority in Belgium considers it possible” to stage a recreation in opposition to Israel for safety causes.
Another high-profile recreation sees Euro 2024 semifinalist Netherlands internet hosting Germany subsequent Tuesday.
The multi-tiered Nations League format, which launched in 2018 to offer groups extra aggressive video games in opposition to opponents of comparable ranges, at all times was advanced.
Top-tier groups in League A compete to advance to the Final Four the next 12 months and to keep away from relegation to League B. England, Austria, and Turkey are within the second tier.
Mid- and low-ranked nations can win promotions and search playoff paths to succeed in a World Cup or European Championship, as Georgia did within the Euro 2024 shock.
A brand new function for this version is a quarterfinal spherical subsequent March for eight top-tier nations and promotion-relegation playoffs for 20 further groups.
Source: www.dailysabah.com