Cristiano Ronaldo: I want to help Portugal at the next World Cup

Mar 12

Mar 12 Cristiano Ronaldo: I want to help Portugal at the next World Cup

We may not have even started qualifiers for the 2020 European Championship, but Cristiano Ronaldo is already looking far into the future regarding his international career.

Ronaldo, now 34, has revealed that he hopes to be a part of Portugal's World Cup squad come 2022.

It comes just three days before Fernando Santos names his next Portugal squad for the European qualifiers against Serbia and Ukraine, a squad that some were still unsure would include Portugal's most capped player in history.

Speaking to DAZN, Ronaldo first addressed his absence from the national team, having missed the previous three squads and not played for Portugal since the disappointing World Cup campaign last July.

"I spoke with the manager and the president and felt it was a good time to take a break from the national team. A lot changed and I needed to get some rest and train" he said, referring to his big summer move Juventus for 105 million euros.

"Now I feel familiar with the Italian league and the culture, so I hope to now continue to help the Seleção; it is my home and I want to help Portugal get to the next World Cup."

Ronaldo will be 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around, which finishes less than two months before his 38th birthday.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo's desire to play for Portugal at the next World Cup will come as a surprise to very few supporters of the Seleção, who have become accustomed to Ronaldo's passion to represent his nation on the biggest stage.

Ronaldo's decision may have been made even easier having seen a terrific young group of stars begin to emerge from the academies of the likes of Benfica and Porto, and Portugal developing a national pool that's beginning to rival even the very best footballing nations.

You may recall that we wrote an article on Ronaldo back in August about how he could potentially become the first player to represent his country more than 200 times - or at the very least become the most capped player in all of world football.

That may still be on the cards for the Portuguese legend.

Ronaldo will be hoping to have his shooting boots on tonight as his Juventus side face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League having lost the first leg 2-0.