Cristiano Ronaldo: Man Utd star could continue playing for Portugal beyond Euro 2024, says Fonte

Cristiano Ronaldo could continue playing for Portugal BEYOND Euro 2024, suggests team-mate Jose Fonte… as he insists the Manchester United superstar ‘is the one who decides his future’

  • Cristiano Ronaldo is still producing impressive numbers at the age of 37
  • Jose Fonte believes his Portugal colleague still has many years left in the game
  • Fonte expects him to pull on a Portugal shirt as far as Euro 2024 in Germany
  • But when he does retire Fonte feels the future will still be bright for Portugal 

Jose Fonte has suggested Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo could continue playing for his country beyond Euro 2024. 

Ronaldo is still producing impressive numbers despite turning 37 in February, registering 18 goals in 34 appearances for Manchester United so far this season.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar may not be getting his hands on silverware at Old Trafford anytime soon, but he will hope to rectify that when Portugal make the trip to Qatar for the World Cup in November.

Jose Fonte (L) expects Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to still be playing at Euro 2024

With his 38th birthday on the cards two months after the final, Qatar could represent Ronaldo’s last chance to win the World Cup.

Yet Fonte, who has played alongside Ronaldo at international level for the last eight years, believes he could still be pulling on the Portugal shirt beyond Euro 2024 in Germany.

‘I think he’s left it pretty clear in his last interview, he’s the one who decides his future,’ the Lille defender said on talkSPORT.

‘I think that physically he feels good, he feels great.

‘If he had the chance to win it and the chance to keep performing at the highest stages then he’ll keep playing, as he said.  

The Qatar World Cup later this year could be Ronaldo's last chance to win the competition

The Qatar World Cup later this year could be Ronaldo’s last chance to win the competition

But Fonte has suggested the 37-year-old could play for his country beyond Euro 2024

But Fonte has suggested the 37-year-old could play for his country beyond Euro 2024

‘Nobody knows exactly what he has in his mind, so only he can decide his future.

‘He wants to play and keep playing so I would assume that he will be in Qatar, and not only in Qatar but in the next Euros at least.’

Ronaldo has enjoyed great success for his country, scoring 115 goals in 134 caps while winning the 2016 European Championships and 2019 Nations League.

Though despite the Ballon d’Or legend nearing the end of his career, Fonte insists the future is very much still bright for Portugal.  

‘I must say, I haven’t seen a squad like this next one coming up with so much talent and so much quality all over the pitch,’ he added.

The Lille defender insists the future is bright for Portugal regardless of how long Ronaldo has

The Lille defender insists the future is bright for Portugal regardless of how long Ronaldo has

‘I really believe that the future is bright. I fully believe that if we get it right then we are in major contention to be winning tournaments because we have so much quality and so much talent in Felix, Jota, Bruno Fernandes.

‘We have centre-backs like Tiago Djalo, Ruben Dias and then you have Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot and Nuno Mendes.

‘The love of football in this country is incredible. The focus on this sport is very, very high; obviously that’s because of the past footballers that we’ve had and the influence that we’ve had so everybody looks to football as the main sport, even though we are very successful in other sports, football is the main sport in Portugal.’ 

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