Soccer
The heartbreaking reaction of Cristiano Ronaldo to their elimination remains fresh in fans' minds. Portugal lost to Morocco with a single-goal lead. As Ronaldo stated, this would be the last FIFA World Cup that Ronaldo would play in. And despite breezing through the early rounds, the Portugues team lost their shot at the coveted World Cup in Quarter-finals.
And Cristiano's recent Instagram post cemented his claim that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be his final FIFA World Cup. Despite the memes and trolls on the internet making fun of the Portugal star striker, he posted a calm post with much gratitude to the fans that supported the Portuguese footballer. But will this be the final World Cup that Ronaldo would be a part of? And that right there is the big question that plagues football lovers worldwide.
No matter what the trolls say about Cristiano Ronaldo, he is, without any doubt, one of the greatest players of his generation. Like many great players before him, the talented footballer inspired many new soccer players to lace up their boots.
Cristiano Ronaldo played his final 2022 FIFA World Cup Match, but Portugal lost to Morocco. SOURCE: Instagram@cristiano And with Portugal's defeat in the Quarter-Finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo won't be playing in the finals. Although the star footballer didn't play in the first half, he joined the pitch in the 51st minute of the match. The game's last moments were a sight as both teams desperately tried to score a goal. But the Portuguese squad didn't manage to take a goal.
And with the final minutes running, Ronaldo and co couldn't take it to the penalty shootout. With that, Cristiano's last match in the World Cup ended. What followed stays fresh on the Portugal fans and moved many fans to tears as Ronaldo left the stadium in tears, unable to win the FIFA Cup for Portugal.
Growing out of his prime, Ronaldo's most ambitious desire was the coveted World Cup. Similarly, Cristiano dreamed about winning the said the FIFA World Cup once in his career. And what a way to go, winning the prestigious title for his country as he hung his boots. But his dreams ended in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Despite the news on the web, Cristiano Ronaldo never explicitly claimed this was his last FIFA World Cup. But Ronaldo did word in a way, so it looks like that. The Portuguese footballer said the dream of winning the coveted FIFA World Cup was nice while it "lasted."
Cristiano Ronaldo stated that 2022 was his final FIFA World Cup. SOURCE: Instagram@cristiano And his words on the said Instagram post "confirmed" this was his last match in the FIFA World Cup. And let's be honest, by the next world cup, Cristiano will be forty-one, way past his prime. He probably would cut the national squad even if he still played soccer. But, as seen in the 2022 FIFA World Cup games, fairy tales sometimes come true.
Cristiano might play once more in the FIFA World Cup. At the age of forty-one, Ronaldo could bag a World Cup. But that's if it were a fairytale; the reality can be much crueller. So, the best bet on this would be saying that the Portuguese ace played his final match in the FIFA World Cup.
Just because his journey as a player ended in the FIFA World Cup games doesn't mean the end of his football journey. Cristiano Ronaldo could take the mantle of a manager for his nation. And as a manager for the Portuguese team, Ronaldo could win the coveted World Cup for Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo could return as a manager or a coach in the future FIFA World Cups. SOURCE: Instagram@cristiano Like many coaches and managers who once were active footballers, Ronaldo holds experience in the said sport. And with his knowledge, Cristiano can take responsibility as a manager or coach for his national squad.
As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens, and Ronaldo's story has yet to conclude. Apart from his FIFA World Cup appearance, his soccer journey in the clubs and internationally is far from over. However, as of December 2022, Ronaldo became a free agent.
Manchester United Terminated Cristiano's contract in November 2022. And even though Saudi Arabia extended an offer to Ronaldo, he decided not to sign the lucrative deal. And in the 2023 Transfer window, it will finally be revealed where the legendary footballer will go.
