Cristiano Ronaldo set to make European history as he's named in Portugal's 2024 Euro squad
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make European history after being named in the Portugal squad for the 2024 UEFA European Championships. If he takes the field for his nation in the tournament, which is highly likely, he will become the first player to feature at six different editions of the tournament.
Cristiano himself holds the current record with five appearances ('04, '08, '12, '16, '20-21), ahead of legendary players like Gianluigi Buffon, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and many others on four appearances each.
Ronaldo made his debut in Euro 2004, bagging two goals and two assists in six games as Portugal fell short in the final against Greece. He finally got his hands on the trophy, as his nation's captain, in the 2016 edition with a 1-0 win over France in the final.
The Portuguese forward has missed just one game across the last five editions, sitting out Portugal's final group stage game in 2008, a 2-0 loss against Switzerland, after their qualification was secured.
Ronaldo also won the tournament's golden boot with five goals in the 2020-21 edition. He is also the all-time leading scorer in the Euros with 14 strikes in 25 appearances, five goals ahead of second-placed Frenchman Michel Platini.
Ronaldo was in red-hot form during the European qualifiers, scoring ten goals (second on the goal-scoring standings) to lead his side to a perfect 10 wins out of 10. With 42 goals in 42 games for Al-Nassr this season, Portugal's new manager Roberto Martinez will be hoping that Ronaldo inspires his side to the Euro 2024 title.
A list of records that Cristiano Ronaldo can break at the 2024 European Championships
Cristiano Ronaldo could potentially break a slew of records at the upcoming European Championships. Here are some of the milestones that he could achieve:
1) Oldest scorer in a Euro game - The record is currently held by Austria's Ivica Vastic, who scored at the age of 38 years and 257 days in the 2008 edition. At 39 years and 134 days, Ronaldo could potentially surpass the existing record when Portugal kick off their campaign against Czechia on June 18.
2) Oldest outfield player to feature at Euro - At 39 years and 91 days, Germany's Lothar Matthaus holds the current record, having featured in the 2000 edition of the tournament for Die Mannschaft. Ronaldo can surpass the German if he plays for Portugal in the tournament.
3) Multiple Euro-winning captains - Iker Casillas captained Spain to back-to-back Euro titles in 2008 and 2012, becoming the only captain to have lifted the title on multiple occasions.
Portugal's current squad boasts of world-class footballers like Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Joao Felix, among many others. They are one of the pre-tournament favorites, and if they live up to their billing, Ronaldo would become the second captain ever to lift multiple Euro titles.