Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday."That's all from the press.
It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest," Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday."The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League ...
We've already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don't think long term, it's always short term."Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France."Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter," Ronaldo added."What I feel at the moment, and the coach's (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn't the case."When I'm (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave.
But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do."The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship."Criticism is great because if it doesn't exist there's no progress.