Cristiano Ronaldo is, like eternal rival Lionel Messi, ready to "cash in" with a World Cup win, while being tipped to grace the 2034 finals.
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Fired Portugal to Nations League finalShowing no sign of slowing down at 40Ready to compete for global crown in 2026Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
That would be some stretch for a man who is already 40 years of age, but Ronaldo has made a career out of bucking the odds and silencing any doubters. He is expected to star at a sixth global gathering of his remarkable career in the summer of 2026.
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The Portuguese GOAT has fired his country to another UEFA Nations League final, reaching 220 caps and 137 goals in the process, with there no sign of the Al-Nassr frontman slowing down as he continues to pursue major honours.
WHAT JURGEN KLINSMANN SAID
World Cup-winning former Germany international Jurgen Klinsmann told after seeing Ronaldo down his country in the Nations League semi-finals: "If he can deliver his work to the team, then there is no doubt about it that he can still play on – that he can play this summer and next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"This is just simply incredible. We have lost a little sight of him since he went to Saudi Arabia but even there he has delivered, he does his job.
"Similar to what we saw in Qatar with Messi, at a later stage he cashes in with all his trophies – two Copa Americas and then the World Cup. He is still ready to cash in, maybe next summer at the World Cup with his Portugal team – which is a very exceptional side."
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Ex-Norway international and Premier League striker Jan Age Fjortoft is another backing Ronaldo to deliver on the grandest of stages for as long as he wants to delay retirement. He added: "He is 40 but still doing the job. We also have to praise the national coach of Portugal, that he finds his role in there.
"Yes, you could see on the bench that they got even better when new players come on the pitch. But, hello, he has scored 137 goals – one, three, seven! When I grew up, when there was a player scoring 37 goals for their country, that was sensational, and this guy has 220 caps!
"He will probably be playing in Saudi Arabia in 2034 this man! It's unbelievable what the guy is doing."
