Cristiano Ronaldo has released an emotional statement following Portugal's World Cup exit, insisting he will never abandon his country or teammates. The 37-year-old was reduced to tears after a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Morocco on Saturday, ending his hopes of winning football's biggest prize.
In a lengthy message on social media, Ronaldo said: 'Winning a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career. I fought for it. I fought hard for this dream. Sadly, yesterday the dream ended.' He added: 'My dedication to Portugal has not changed for a moment. I was always one fighting for the objective of all and I would never turn my back on my colleagues and my country.'
The forward, who was left on the bench for the knockout matches amid reported tensions with manager Fernando Santos, has not ruled out playing in the 2026 World Cup. He will be 41 by then but has previously stated his intention to lead Portugal at Euro 2024.
Ronaldo's World Cup exit comes after his contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent following a controversial interview with Piers Morgan. He had criticised the club's progress and manager Erik ten Hag, saying he did not respect the coach.
In his statement, Ronaldo thanked Portugal and Qatar, adding: 'The dream was nice while it lasted... Now, it's hoping that time will be a good advisor and allow each one to draw their own conclusions.'
