Cristiano Ronaldo receives the medical treatment on the touchline during the UEFA EURO 2016 Final match between Portugal and France at Stade de France on July 10, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo : Getty Images/Matthias Hangst)
The Euro 2016 final is scheduled on July 10, Sunday, at the Stade de France and it is down to hosts France and Portugal. Whatever the result will be, Portugal manager Fernando Santos, 61, claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo, 31, will not retire.
Pitched against Ronaldo at the Euro 2016 final is France forward Antoine Griezmann, 25. The former is reportedly following in the footsteps of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, 29, who retired after Chile's win over his country at Copa America in June.
"He'll play for another six, seven, 10 years," The National quoted Santos as saying, referring to Ronaldo. "I don't know, but tomorrow won't be his final match."
In 2003, Santos worked at Sporting Lisbon with Ronaldo. However, it was not for very long because the latter played when Estadio Jose Alvalade was inaugurated in a friendly against Manchester United, the former explained.
Santos described Ronaldo as an amazing and very talented person who wanted to win. The former added that the latter is a born winner who is very mentally strong.
According to Santos, Ronaldo is the kind of person who is angry at himself when things do not go his way. The former Manchester United player wants to be the best and to become better and better, the Portugal manager said.
For Santos, Ronaldo's ability to captain the Portugal team is now becoming evident. This is something everybody acknowledges and he owes it to his will to improve, the manager added.
Ronaldo has yet to win a major international tournament. However, Portugal does not have to defeat France at the Euro 2016 final just to prove that he is great although his career deserves a major trophy for his country, according to BBC presenter Gary Lineker.
"I have never been one of those who says Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have to win a major tournament to justify people's perception of their greatness," Lineker wrote on Daily Mail. "That depends a lot on the luck of the time and the team that you're playing for."
Meanwhile, watch a Nike football app commercial featuring Ronaldo here:
