Portugal's FIFA World Cup dream ended on Saturday when the side faced a shock 0-1 loss to Morocco in the quarterfinal. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the sole goal of the match in the 42nd minute with a towering header that eventually remained the difference between both sides. Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Portugal, started from the bench for the second-successive game and even as he came on six minutes into the second half, the legendary forward failed to make a difference for his side.
Ronaldo left the field alone and in tears after the side's exit from the World Cup and a day later, broke silence on the same on his official Instagram account. The 37-year-old star footballer had been the centre of multiple controversies with both, his former club Manchester United as well as the Portuguese national team, but Ronaldo insisted that his dedication to Portugal “has not changed for a moment.”
“Winning a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career. Fortunately I won many titles of international dimension, including Portugal, but putting our country's name on the highest foot in the World was my biggest dream. I fought for it. fought hard for this dream,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
“In the 5 appearances scored in World Cups over 16 years, always by the side of great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave my all. Leave it all out on the field. I never turned my face to the fight and never gave up on that dream. Sadly, yesterday, the dream ended.
{{/usCountry}}“In the 5 appearances scored in World Cups over 16 years, always by the side of great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave my all. Leave it all out on the field. I never turned my face to the fight and never gave up on that dream. Sadly, yesterday, the dream ended.
{{/usCountry}}“It's not worth reacting to heat. I just want you all to know that much has been said, much has been written, much has been speculated, but my dedication to Portugal has not changed not 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.”
Ronaldo further thanked Portugal, adding that the “dream was nice while it lasted.”
“Not much more to say for now. Thank you Portugal. Thank you Qatar The dream was nice while it lasted... Now, it's hoping that the weather will be good advisor and allow each one to draw their own conclusions,” Ronaldo signed off.