LISBON: Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out any immediate thought of retirement from international football as he believes he still has plenty to give Portugal, he told a press conference on Monday.
“When the time comes, I’ll move on. It won’t be a difficult decision to make,” the 39-year-old said ahead of Thursday’s Nations League clash with Croatia in Lisbon.
“If I feel like I’m no longer contributing anything, I’ll be the first to leave,” he added, citing the example of his former team-mate Pepe, “who left through the front door” after announcing his retirement from the game last August at the age of 41.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has been playing in Saudi Arabia for almost two years now, failed to score as he appeared at a record sixth European Championship this year, with Portugal exiting in the quarter-finals.
In spite of the criticism he received in the press Ronaldo said he “never considered leaving the national team” and he has retained the backing of coach Roberto Martinez.
“People’s expectations of the national team were too high,” said Ronaldo, adding that the bad times in a footballer’s life “allow you to evolve.”
After Thursday’s meeting with Croatia, Portugal remain in Lisbon to face Scotland on Sunday.
Retirement won’t be a ‘difficult decision’ says Ronaldo
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Retirement won’t be a ‘difficult decision’ says Ronaldo
- 5-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has been playing in Saudi Arabia for almost two years, failed to score at Euros
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
