“I want to be a player who helps others, someone they can admire.”

WithRonaldo is about to win his sixth European Cup. A figure that only he was able to achieve throughout the championship, and this is thanks to a magnificent career in the world of football. The Portuguese continue to be the emblem of a Portuguese team that hopes to do well in this EuroCup and, why not, repeat what they achieved in 2016. the generation he was among.

However, his role in Portugal could now be very different. He is not guaranteed ownership, but he himself recognizes that he is here to make a contribution even outside the field. A reference to the fact that his mere presence in the locker room can calm the group and even at some point change the outcome of the game. A role he took on in an interview with the official UEFA media and in which he spoke in detail about his new role in Roberto Martinez’s team.

The key to a long career

“Year after year we always try to improve certain things. There is always something to improve. I think I’m a complete player, but there are always things I can improve. As you get older, you find that there are things that we weren’t so good at in the past, and we also start to lose some abilities, so it’s important to try to adapt.

This is the key word. If a player wants to live long, he must have great adaptability and the necessary characteristics for this. This is what I was trying to do. It is no coincidence that he has been playing at the highest level for 20 years, and maintaining this level is very difficult. Only with a lot of effort and hard work can such results be achieved.”

An example for new generations

“Every professional player has his own style. I believe that leadership is based on who we are, how we feel and what we have learned during our professional careers. I try to lead in a way that I think is productive. I want to be a player who helps other players, someone they can admire, look up to as a role model and be a good professional.

As I often say, I like to lead by example. I’m not one to talk a lot, but I like to show them who I am. And when push comes to shove, when things aren’t going well, you have to know when to impose discipline and when to maintain it. But when things are going well, you need to be with them and work together.

The leadership style is very personal, but there are a lot of leaders on this team in their own way, and that’s one of the reasons why I think we’re a great national team.”

The first player to play in six European Championships.

“I am proud to be the first player to play in six European Championships. I’m very excited because it shows the longevity of my career. However, this is no more than a chapter of what Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved in football. I’m happy and “I feel privileged to be here to help the team achieve its goals and of course try to move forward and win, which is our main goal.”

Support throughout Portugal

“The Portuguese fans are always decisive, as are those who will watch us on television, because their energy will be felt in Germany. I want them to continue to do what they have always done: support the national team and the players. As footballers, we will feel this support on the field, and together we will become even stronger.”

About the quality of your choice

“I firmly believe that this generation will bring a lot of joy to the Portuguese fans, starting with this EuroCup. The best generation of players is the one that wins titles. I hope this team wins because they have incredible talent.”

But, as we all know, talent alone is not enough to win. It takes a lot to win such a big tournament. We have all the ingredients to win, but we will go step by step, game by game, always believing that we can win. What we achieved in 2016 was historic for both Portuguese football and world football. “Now we have our feet firmly on the ground, but our thoughts are in the sky, to look up and see that winning the Euro is possible.”