(Reuters) – Portugal will benefit from the wealth of experience veteran Cristiano Ronaldo brings to their squad, manager Roberto Martinez said ahead of this month’s European Championship in Germany.
Ronaldo, the leading scorer in men’s international football with 128 goals in 204 official matches, will be playing in his sixth Euros, having reached the final in his tournament debut in 2004 and winning the competition in 2016.
The 39-year-old’s move away from the European elite to Saudi Arabia in 2023 has raised questions about whether his career is nearing an end, but Martinez said the Al-Nassr attacker still had a lot to offer.
“Cristiano had very consistent performances at his club. There is no doubt that he is an incredible scorer,” Martinez told reporters on Friday ahead of their friendly match against Croatia on Saturday.
“He is in his sixth European Championship, and he is the only player who has played in five European Championships. So, we are talking about achieving a unique feat in the world of soccer and his experience is important for us.
“We have 23 players. We create competitiveness and the game makes decisions. But Cristiano is prepared to help the team and give everything he can give. And there is no other player in the world of soccer who can bring what Cristiano can to the dressing room.”
Portugal are in Group F and will begin their Euro 2024 campaign against the Czech Republic, before taking on Turkey and Georgia.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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