Bruno Fernandes has sent a message of admiration and appreciation to Cristiano Ronaldo,
whom he insists is continuing to adapt his style of play at the age of 38
Bruno
Fernandes insists Cristiano Ronaldo is continuing to adapt his game and hailed the
striker’s legacy in world football.
The two stars have been team-mates at international
level for Portugal across several years and they played alongside each other at
Manchester United for 15 months. Both players also starred for Sporting in their home
nation.
Ronaldo became the highest-ever goalscorer in international football in 2024
while he has now scored a total of 125 goals for Portugal in 202 caps. He captained his
nation in last year’s World Cup finals in Qatar and wants to have at least one more
major tournament, having won the European Championships in 2024.
The superstar had
previously indicated he wanted his career at the top level to last until at least 2024,
which would include next summer’s European Championship finals. However, fresh reports
suggest he wants to remain playing until 2027. He will celebrate his 39 th birthday in
February, while he will be aged 41 by the time of the next World Cup – in three years
time.
Speaking after Friday’s match against Slovakia, in which Ronaldo scored twice in
a 3-2 win, Fernandes explained (via PortuGoal ): “Do I have the notion that I’m playing
alongside a history maker? No, I don’t have a notion, I have the certainty! We’re all
aware of it.
“We all understand the force and the impact that Ronaldo has, the force
and the impact that Ronaldo has had on the future of many of us Portuguese players, the
opportunities that he’s created for the future generations of players, the way others
began to look at Portugal.”
Fernandes continued: “They already had started looking at
us with more respect, but everything that Ronaldo achieved abroad meant our name was
more feared, and obviously we are grateful to have lived in this era, because it was a
privilege for us to watch Cristiano play and at the same time I had the chance to play
alongside him, like all my other team-mates.
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Image: Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA
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The United playmaker was doubtful that another player of Ronaldo’s stature may
never be produced by Portugal again: “Obviously these tributes are nice to see and it’s
right that they are done because he has made history, not only for Portugal but also in
the world of football. He’s done extraordinary things that will probably never be
repeated – we hope they are for the good of football – but I think it’s unlikely.”
He
added: “I hope another Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo appears but I think it’s unlikely
and it’s up to us, all the Portuguese, to enjoy him and enjoy what he can still give
us, regardless of the fact they often say: ‘ah, he’s not what he used to be’. All
players as the years go by have to adapt, have to be different, but Cristiano, although
different and always adapting, continues to do that which he does best which is score
goals.”
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