Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, is embarking on his sixth World Cup campaign, hoping to finally get his hands on the one trophy that has eluded him for 20 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo must win the World Cup to complete his greatness
The Lone Star State of Texas feels like the right place for Cristiano Ronaldo to begin his final quest to complete his incredible career.
No footballer on the planet is more aspiring to wear the iconic gold badge on his national team kit than Ronaldo. Lionel Messi has won one of them thanks to his stunning victory for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
And the fact that Messi left Doha with the best prize of all while Ronaldo returned home in tears once again added further fuel to Ronaldo’s continued obsession with world domination.
This has been going on for over 20 years. During this time, Ronaldo achieved incredible feats in the football world, taking the game to an unprecedented level.
He broke more records than the Greeks broke plates. He scored an astonishing 143 goals in 228 games for his national team.
He won the Euros in 2016 and went on to win 29 major trophies, including five Champions League titles, representing Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
With five Ballon d’Or awards and countless other individual awards, Ronaldo should be able to look back on his football career with the pride that only a select few can have.
Ronaldo displays all of his glory in the homes he owns around the world. But Houston has a problem.
Something is still missing. Ronaldo knows that despite being truly great, he remains trapped in a club that no one like him wants to join.
Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the 2022 World Cup with more tears and more sadness
This is a competition made up of the greatest soccer players who have never won a World Cup. The squad includes Ferenc Puskas, Eusebio, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Michel Platini, Paolo Maldini, Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and George Best, who has never played in a World Cup, let alone won one.
Most players would give up a decent pair of boots to rub shoulders with the true legends of the sport. But Ronaldo definitely won’t trade all his silver coins for gold bullion, the ultimate prize of the ultimate match.
Ronaldo wants to join a club that also includes Pele, Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Franz Beckenbauer, another Ronaldo and, of course, Messi. This man who seems to have it all actually doesn’t have it yet.
The fact that Ronaldo will be playing in his record-equalling sixth World Cup at the age of 41 speaks volumes about his relentless obsession with reaching the Holy Grail.
Messi holding the Best Player award and the 2022 World Cup trophy (Image: Getty Images)
It also proves how Ronaldo remains one of the great inspirations and role models for future footballers around the world when it comes to becoming the ultimate professional.
But even Ronaldo knows that nothing lasts forever. That this could be your last chance to complete one of the greatest collections of honors in gaming history.
Portugal, fielding perhaps one of the most talented teams in the tournament, will begin their World Cup campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Houston Stadium.
Ronaldo insists he’s still ready to lead Portugal to the end
But once again, the coming weeks are likely to revolve around one man. Ronaldo said: “Physically? I’m fine. Didn’t you watch my (warm-up) game? We worked hard.”
“We have had the upper hand in the game, but the most important thing is when the ball starts rolling in the first game on June 17th.
“And when the pressure really starts to build, that’s when we see the true champions.” Ronaldo refuses to make bold predictions, tempt fate or look too far ahead.
But it’s safe to assume he has one vision he would like to see heading into the World Cup final in New York on July 19th.
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