- Cristiano Ronaldo will start Portugal’s final Group F match against Georgia at Euro 2024, aiming to set a new record
- Ronaldo, 39, could become the oldest player to score at a European Championship, recently surpassed by Croatia’s Luka Modric
Coach Roberto Martinez confirmed on Tuesday that Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the starting lineup for Portugal’s final Group F match against Georgia at Euro 2024.
The 39-year-old forward has the opportunity to become the oldest player to score at a European Championship during the match on Wednesday in Gelsenkirchen. Croatia’s Luka Modric recently claimed this record on Monday night.
Ronaldo has not yet scored in this tournament but assisted Bruno Fernandes in Portugal’s 3-0 victory over Turkey, which secured the top spot in their group.
“I can tell you that the captain will be in the starting XI,” Martinez told reporters. “He played one preparation game, had a very good season, and played many minutes. Maintaining his competitive standard is important because starting and stopping isn’t any good for you as a player.”
Martinez also hoped that there would be no further pitch invasions targeting Ronaldo. During Portugal’s win against Turkey last Saturday, several fans breached stadium security to approach the star player. While Ronaldo was initially amused when a young boy took a selfie with him, he became annoyed as more fans followed suit and disrupted the match’s final minutes.
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