Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo
Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has said that leading the Portuguese national team to win the UEFA Euro 2016 was deeply satisfying because the tournament carries equal value to the World Cup.
According to him, spearheading the nation’s campaign to win international laurels was a special moment in his career, marking a new dawn for Portuguese football.
The Real Madrid legend noted that the country won three titles during his era, breaking a long-standing jinx, with the biggest being the Euros, which he considers on the same level as the FIFA World Cup.
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"I’ve won three titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal won nothing. The biggest title I won with the national team was Euro 2016... For me, the Euros has the same value as a World Cup," he told journalists after his side was eliminated from the tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of finally winning the World Cup came to a heartbreaking end as Spain edged past Portugal 1-0 in a tense Round of 16 clash in Dallas, with a stoppage-time strike from substitute Mikel Merino sending the European champions through to the quarter-finals.
At 41, Ronaldo admitted this would be his final World Cup appearance, hoping to add the one major trophy missing from his glittering career.
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"I've won three titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal won nothing."
— Michael Oti Adjei (@OtiAdjei) July 6, 2026
"The biggest title I won with the National Team was Euro 2016... For me, the Euros has the same value as a World Cup."
- Cristiano Ronaldo.pic.twitter.com/suYbWSukTR
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