Delhi, 8 June (H.S.): Cristiano Ronaldo, the 40-year-old forward for Al Nassr and Portugal, stated on Saturday that he does not intend to participate in the upcoming Club World Cup in the United States, despite interest from other clubs in the expanded tournament. Speculation regarding his future heightened following FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s comments about the potential for Ronaldo to play, even as Al Nassr did not qualify. When questioned about potential contracts with other clubs, Ronaldo emphasized that the focus should remain on the national team and dismissed immediate discussions about his future. He mentioned having received numerous invitations but confirmed that he had nearly made up his mind not to attend the tournament.

Ronaldo recently helped Portugal secure a spot in the Nations League final, scoring the decisive goal against Germany. While there are expectations for a showdown between him and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, Ronaldo

that he sees football as a team sport rather than a personal rivalry. He underscored that after two decades in the game, such narratives no longer faze him, expressing his top priority as having Portugal perform well and win against a formidable opponent like Spain in the final.

—————

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar