"I would like the anthem to be sung without music tomorrow" - Cristiano Ronaldo sends out strong message to Portugal fans
Cristiano Ronaldo sent out a rallying call to all Portugal fans ahead of the final playoff game against North Macedonia on Tuesday. The winner of this game will book a place in this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ronaldo has urged fans and players to sing their hearts out during the national team to show that they are ready for the game. Speaking ahead of their game against North Macedonia (via the Portuguese FA's official Twitter page), Ronaldo said:
"I would like the anthem to be sung without music tomorrow. To show our grit! If they're like they were on Thursday, I'm sure we'll win."
North Macedonia secured a shock 1-0 win over Italy in the semifinals of the playoffs to book a place in the final against the Euro 2016 winners. Cristiano Ronaldo also acknowledged that North Macedonia deserve their place in the showpiece match. He added (via Twitter):
"Pressure is always there. We really wanted to play this game. It's going to be very hard. If Macedonia is here, it's because they deserve it."
Portugal secured a routine 3-1 win over Turkey in the playoff semifinals last week. Goals from Otavio, Diogo Jota and Matheus Nunes were enough for the Selecao to book a place in the playoff finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo training today for the FINAL against North Macedonia. 🇲🇰
PEPE was back too. https://t.co/720TzIrnFw
Cristiano Ronaldo has been Portugal's standout player in their qualification campaign. The 37-year-old forward scored six goals in the group phase, which included a hat-trick against Luxembourg back in October.
Despite Ronaldo's best efforts, the Portuguese side finished behind Serbia in their group and failed to secure an automatic qualification berth.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to qualify for his fifth FIFA World Cup with Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo is gunning to qualify for his fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup with Portugal. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner first qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where Portugal finished fourth. It is worth mentioning that it is the closest Ronaldo has come to lifting the World Cup with his national side.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup could be his last opportunity to win international football's biggest honor. The forward is already 37-year-old and will be in his 40s by the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes along.
🇵🇹❤️ https://t.co/uftmiwG7oj
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently international football's leading goalscorer. The Manchester United forward has scored 115 goals in 185 caps for his national team.