Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has underlined the “proof” of his legacy in football after netting in his side’s World Cup opening win.
Ronaldo had become the first player to score in five different World Cups when he netted a controversial penalty in the 65th minute - with the kick awarded after Ronaldo had been judged to have been tripped by Southampton defender Mohamed Salisu.
The Portuguese superstar ended his relationship with Manchester United by mutual consent this week, following his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan. He has now switched fully to international mode and is aiming to break multiple different World Cup records.
Ronaldo’s participation at this World Cup had almost become a secondary aspect to his club future, with the confirmation of his Old Trafford exit coming just two days ahead of his nation’s opening win over Ghana.
There will continue to be an intense focus on Ronaldo’s future at club level, with Real Madrid ruling out a return for their club-record goalscorer. His mother's club Sporting Lisbon have also distanced themselves from making a move while Bayern Munich poured cold water on speculation.
However, with Portugal getting off to a winning start in the tournament and Ronaldo finding the net – there is a strong opportunity for Fernando Santos’s side to advance deep into the tournament and for the striker to continue adding to his multiple international records.
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Ronaldo – who has scored a world record 118 goals in international football – wrote on an Instagram post, alongside an image showing him celebrating at each of the tournaments: “Scoring in five World Cups is achieving an achievement that I would never dare dream of, but it is also proof that there are no impossibilities.
“The pride I feel in representing Portugal is only comparable to the joy I feel in each goal I score for my country, translated into victories dedicated to our people. Let's goooood! This is just the beginning!”
Portugal continue their World Cup campaign as they take on Uruguay on Monday night before concluding their group stage campaign with a clash against South Korea on Friday.
