Cristiano Ronaldo was honored earlier this week with the Quina de Platino award from the Portuguese Football Federation for his 200 international caps. During his acceptance speech, he spoke about his journey with the national team, his goals for the future, and the value of playing for one’s country.
Ronaldo spoke about how his goals for the national team have evolved over time. He started with the dream of making his debut, then aimed for 25 caps, then 50. He eventually set his sights on 100, then 150, and finally 200. He said,
“I’m very proud, very fulfilled; it’s been a lot of hard work. It’s funny—I joined the team at 18 with just a dream to make my debut. Then I reached 25 caps, then 50… At one point, I thought, ‘Why not 100?’ It felt like such a milestone, three digits. And so I began aiming for 150, then 200, and I can’t describe how great that feels”
Ronaldo emphasized the importance of representing one’s country, calling it the greatest honor a player can have. He expressed disappointment in players who don’t want to play for their national team. Ronaldo believes that Portugal, despite its size, has the potential to become a great nation in soccer and other sports. He cited Portugal’s infrastructure, stadiums, coaches, and talented players as reasons for this belief. He said,
“I want to say, especially to my teammates, that after playing for so many clubs, winning trophies, Champions Leagues, Ballon d’Ors, FIFA awards… there’s nothing greater than representing your country. Representing your entire nation, your culture, your children, your mother, your father, your closest friends. I’m often disappointed by play.”
Ronaldo, who is 39 years old, admitted that his ambition to score 1,000 career goals is no longer a priority. He now focuses on living in the moment and enjoying the game. He said, “If I hit 1,000, fantastic; if not, well… no one has scored more goals than me anyway.” Ronaldo continues to play for Portugal and remains an integral part of the squad.
