Cristiano Ronaldo and the sixth European Championship for an insatiable player

On 12 June 2004, Figo took a corner kick in the Real Madrid player's special way. A perfect curling shot that struck Cristiano Ronaldo's head to make it 2-1 against Greece. Days later, the tears of the 19-year-old would show just how tough football is because Portugal was to lose the European Championship to Greece.   

Behind that defeat there was a country that, without knowing it, was preparing to take the football world by storm with good players, but above all Cristiano Ronaldo has been above them all for the last 20 years. Star of Manchester United and Real Madrid, the best player of the last era alongside Messi has continued to demonstrate his great level at Juventus, a team with which he failed to conquer Europe, and now at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.   

Cristiano Ronaldo's tears after losing the Arabian Cup final show a player committed to his profession, regardless of the shirt he wears. You could say he is a football journeyman for the ability he has had to adapt to almost every team he has played for regardless of the system. His last spell at Manchester United is where he shone the least, although some time later we discovered his family drama and the loss of a son.   

Portugal's captain fired Figo and many other Portuguese legends such as Simao, Deco, Rui Costa or Costinha, but he was able to take up the baton alongside Pepe, Cancelo, Dalot, Neves, Bruno Fernándes, Bernardo Silva or Joao Félix and Gonçalo Ramos. Led by Spain's Roberto Martinez, Portugal are once again among those chosen to fight for the European throne they won in 2016 against France in a European dominated by Ronaldo with 14 goals in seven games.   

Those goals are part of his 88 for his country and many say he is aiming to reach 100 for which he should be eligible to play in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. That tournament, along with qualifying and Nations League matches, could put him in the history books, albeit without lifting a World Cup.   

There has been no shortage of controversy over Cristiano Ronaldo's presence with Portugal at Euro 2024 in Germany. Roberto Martínez's call-up has been understood in two very different ways. There are those who say that the Spaniard has called up the 7 to avoid problems with the country for leaving out their star player. Playing in a less competitive league such as the Arab League means that his physical condition should be far from that of his teammates competing in the big leagues of Europe. Others claim that if Bob Martinez has called up CR7 it is because he is at a great physical level due to his condition and the preparation he does on the fringes of his team, which he boasts about on social networks and means that at 39 years of age he can boast of having a top level performance wherever he is called upon to score goals.  

Pepe will join Cristiano in another national team adventure. The former Real Madrid centre-back is still playing at the highest level for Porto and when he plays his first minute against Czech Republic, he will be the oldest player to play in a European Championship at the age of 41. Portugal's national coach is taking charge of another veteran team like Belgium, which ended in a circus that many players decided to leave, if Portugal's success is successful, Cristiano Ronaldo will be to blame for everything good that happens in Germany.