"
I feel that the time has come for me to look for a new challenge
", launched Tuesday evening the Portuguese superstar after the announcement by the English club of the separation of a "
mutual agreement
" between "
CR7
" and the Red Devils Now officially on the market, ten days after his flamethrower interview with ex-manager Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo will have one more reason to shine in the world's finest showcase.
To discover
Download the Le Figaro Sport application and follow the adventure of the Blues in Qatar
World Cup: group classification
Full World Cup match schedule
"
If we are world champions without me scoring, I'll sign right away
," proclaimed the five-time Ballon d'Or on Monday during his first appearance before the press in Qatar, with rather unusual collective accents for this soloist at the helm. well-honed ego.
But this lover of personal statistics, who never fails to celebrate each record he breaks, knows he can still continue to write the history of the game at the Worlds.
That of Portugal first.
The top scorer in history in selection football (117 goals in 191 caps in the red and green jersey), can notably join Eusebio as Seleçao's top scorer in the World Cup.
SEE ALSO
- Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United
Better than Eusebio and Pelé?
With seven goals in his four previous appearances at the World Cup, CR7 is only two goals behind Eusebio, who scored nine in the only World Cup in which he participated, in 1966. “
It may seem like a bit vain, but what I've been doing for the past few years is breaking record after record.
It would be special to beat (the one belonging to) Eusebio, but it's not something that keeps me awake at night
,” Ronaldo pointed out.
Read alsoWhen Cristiano Ronaldo proudly displays a goal scored … Against Manchester United
The insatiable has another even more beautiful record within reach of crampons when entering, like Lionel Messimardi, the closed circle of players who have played in five World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022): the child of Madeira can become the very first to score at five different Worlds.
If he finds the fault on Thursday against Ghana, or then against Uruguay or South Korea, his Group H opponents, Ronaldo will overtake three legends: the Brazilian Pelé and the Germans Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, scorers in four Different World Cups.
However, Ronaldo is unlikely to join Klose in total goals: the German scored sixteen times in the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions, the absolute record.
Taking care of statistics has always been a goal for Ronaldo, magnetized by the desire since a young age to make history and also to do better than Messi.
game of chess
The World Cup will offer a new duel from a distance between the ex-Real Madrid star and the ex-prodigy of FC Barcelona, whose World Cup began with a goal from the penalty spot but above all with a monumental and unexpected slap against Arabia Saudi (1-2).
This Ronaldo-Messi duel was staged by a luxury brand in an advertising campaign released for the World Cup, where we see the two superstars playing a game of chess.
In order not to offend the fans and many followers of one or the other, the arrangement of the pieces on the chessboard of this publicity match was modeled on that of a game in 2017 between two great chess players, Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, which ended in... a draw.
“
I would like to be the one to put Messi in check.
It happened around a chessboard and if it happened during a football match, it would be magic
,” Ronaldo said with a smile on Monday.
As for knowing who will remain the best in history between Messi, the record holder of the Ballons d'Or (seven), and him, top scorer in the history of the Champions League?
“
Even if I win the World Cup, the debate will continue
” on the identity of the greatest player of all time, predicts the Portuguese.
