Cristiano Ronaldo’s Last Hurrah at the Euros Ends in Disappointment
The drama and passion of Euro 2024 delivered a cruel blow to Portugal and their iconic captain. In a quarterfinal clash brimming with tension but light on goals, Cristiano Ronaldo’s European Championship career came to an abrupt end. After 120 grueling minutes with neither side finding the net, France held their nerve in a bitter penalty shootout to book their place in the semifinals—leaving Ronaldo, his teammates, and fans heartbroken.
Ronaldo, at 39, had made it clear this would be his last turn with Portugal at the Euros. The weight of expectation was immense. Every touch of the ball, every run, held extra significance. He buried his penalty in the shootout—cold, focused, the kind of finish his career is built on. But when João Félix’s strike clipped the post and flew wide, the Portuguese dream collapsed. France, clinical from the spot, didn’t miss once, with Theo Hernandez delivering the final blow.
Portugal Struggle and Questions Over Ronaldo’s Role
For Portugal, the exit isn’t just about the bad luck of penalties. The whole campaign had an air of unease. For the third straight match, they failed to find the back of the net. The goals dried up at just the wrong time, and for the first time in his career at major tournaments, Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t score a single goal in open play during the competition. That’s a striking contrast to the man who’s made a habit of rewriting record books at World Cups and previous European Championships.
Fans and pundits have openly wondered about the team's reliance on their elder statesman. Ronaldo’s place at the heart of every attacking move seemed to put a ceiling on what Portugal could achieve. With so much attention on feeding him the ball, players like João Félix and Rafael Leão seemed to fade into the background. Felix’s missed penalty will sting, but even before that, there were signs the team’s approach left them without enough attacking spark.
It’s not just about age or fading speed. What’s at stake is whether Portugal needs to be braver about giving younger players the big moments. The squad is full of technical talent—some of Europe’s brightest prospects—but when the pressure hit in Germany, old habits stuck.
Amid all this, Ronaldo’s legacy at the Euros remains shining: winner in 2016, all-time top scorer in tournament history, and a regular for drama and inspiration. But Euro 2024 may mark the closing of a chapter, not just in his story, but in Portuguese football’s approach to the international stage.
After the match, Ronaldo struggled to hide his emotions on the pitch. But the big question: will he call time on his international career, or push on to the 2026 World Cup? For now, he’s left the door open. But Portugal’s future, and perhaps the spotlight, could soon shift to the next generation looking to step out from his long shadow.
- France advances to face Spain in the semifinals
- Portugal’s run ends without a goal from Ronaldo
- Focus now turns to a possible rebuild for the Portuguese team
Euro 2024 may be the end of Ronaldo’s Euro journey, but the conversation about his impact—and about what comes next for Portugal—is only just beginning.
