Cristiano Ronaldo spoke out after Portugal was kicked out of the World Cup. He said he was upset but insisted that he has always been committed to his country.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Portugal’s first game against Ghana, but head coach Fernando Santos put him on the bench because of how he acted when he was taken off against South Korea.
Even though the 37-year-old came off the bench in the quarter-final against Morocco, he could not make a difference as Portugal lost 1-0, and their World Cup hopes were crushed.
At the end of the game, Ronaldo was seen walking down the tunnel in tears. He did not talk to the media right away.
Ronaldo wrote in a lengthy Instagram post, “Winning a World Cup for Portugal was my most significant and most ambitious career goal. I was lucky enough to win many international titles, including one in Portugal, but my biggest dream was to put our country’s name on the highest foot in the World.
“I worked hard for it. I worked hard to reach this goal. I played in 5 World Cups and scored 5 goals over 16 years. I was always with great players and had the support of millions of Portuguese fans. Put everything on the field. I never gave up, and I never turned my back on the fight.
“It’s sad that the dream ended yesterday. There’s no reason to react to heat. I want you all to know that my love for Portugal has not changed even though a lot has been said, written, and thought about. I’ve always been the one fighting for the goal of everyone, and I’d never give up on my team or my country.
“There’s not much else to say right now. Thank you, Portugal. Thank you, Qatar. While the dream lasted, it was nice… Now, everyone is hoping that the weather will be a good guide and let everyone make their own decisions.”
With his goal against Ghana, Ronaldo became the first person to score at five World Cups. He now looks likely to retire without scoring in a World Cup knockout match.
Since he will be 41 by the time the next tournament comes around, this was Ronaldo’s last dance for Portugal.
