Despite being past his prime, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo continues to show astonishing speed in the 2024 European Championship.
After defeating Czech Republic and Turkey, Portugal sits atop Group F, securing their place in the round of 16 and set to face Georgia in their final group match on June 27th.
This is Ronaldo’s sixth appearance in the European Championship. Against Czech Republic and Turkey, he not only met the tactical requirements of coach Roberto Martinez but also delivered impressive performances. Notably, he achieved a remarkable top speed of 32.7 km/h in this tournament, setting a personal best for himself in any European Championship. This showcases that despite aging, his athleticism remains at a top level.
Looking back, Ronaldo, then 27 years old, reached a speed of 32 km/h in the 2012 European Championship. In the 2016 French Championship, his top speed slightly dropped to 29.1 km/h, but he improved it to 29.7 km/h in the 2020 European Championship (actually held in 2021).
Although Ronaldo himself has yet to score a goal in this tournament, he delivered a clever assist to Bruno Fernandes, who secured a 3-0 victory with the goal against Turkey, once again showcasing his influence on the field. After this match, Ronaldo set a new European Championship record for the most assists (7), and he also holds the records for the most goals (14) and appearances (27) in the tournament’s history.
After the match, Bruno Fernandes praised captain Ronaldo’s performance: “I think Cristiano is never a selfish player. At that moment, he chose to pass, but it was completely reasonable for him to shoot if he wanted to. As a top scorer, Cristiano always makes the best choices for the team.”
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