Jose Mourinho expects Cristiano Ronaldo to have a significant impact for Portugal at Euro 2024, despite his advancing age. The Al-Nassr striker, now 39, has had his highest-scoring season since 2015/16, amassing 50 goals in 51 appearances. Ronaldo, who has scored 128 goals for his national team, is gearing up for his 11th major tournament.
Portugal’s squad for the summer competition, led by manager Roberto Martinez, includes players who were not born when Ronaldo made his debut. At 41, defender Pepe is the oldest player in the squad. Despite the presence of younger talents such as Liverpool’s Diogo Jota, PSG’s Goncalo Ramos, and Joao Felix, Mourinho is confident in Ronaldo’s pivotal role.
“The coach knows,” Mourinho stated. “Cristiano is the one who knows how he feels, what his goals are, and how the coach wants to use him, whether to play every minute of every game or protect him in key moments. He has a lot of influence and he will score his goals. I don’t believe he will leave the European Championship without goals.”
Ronaldo’s strategic management will be crucial, as Martinez balances the need for experience and fresh energy in the squad. Mourinho, now the head coach of Fenerbahce, also considers Portugal among the top contenders for the Euro 2024 title, alongside England and France.
“I think practically everyone thinks like me,” Mourinho added. “Portugal, England, France, below them are Germany and Spain.”
Recent performances have shown mixed results for Mourinho’s favored teams. Portugal lost 2-1 to Croatia in a friendly, and England suffered a defeat to Iceland. Meanwhile, Germany secured a narrow win against Greece, and Spain and France are expected to have easier final warm-up matches against Northern Ireland and Canada respectively.
