Klinsmann says Ronaldo can win 2026 world cup after Portugal beat Germany after 25 years; coach wants Vitinha to be awarded Ballon d’Or
It was a simple tap-in into an open goal from Ronaldo that sealed it; it was his 137th international goal, and his 937th strike in all football
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during the Nations League semifinal soccer match between Portugal and Germany. (AP photo) Portugal’s 40-year old Cristiano Ronaldo hadn’t experienced one feeling before Wednesday night: beating Germany in an international. He had played Germany five times, lost all five. Portugal had last beat Germany at Euro 2000. Now, that 25-year wait ended when Portugal beat Germany to seal a spot in the finals of Nations League.
It was a simple tap-in into an open goal from Ronaldo that sealed it; it was his 137th international goal, and his 937th strike in all football.
The former German footballer Jurgen Klinsmann hailed Ronaldo’s efforts. “This is simply exceptional. What he is producing as a 40-year old ; it seems he is not getting old at all. He put himself in the service of the team; he came back, he helped out, he tried to connect to his team-mates. This is a real leader. And once he is in the box, he is still one of the best finishers in the game. He can make a difference anytime but it is his attitude that makes a huge difference. If he keeps his team-mates positive, his work to the team, there is no doubt that he can still play on till the next year’s world cup in USA, Canada, and Mexico. We saw in Qatar Messi ready to cash in at a later stage of his career. Maybe Ronaldo can do it next year, this is an exceptional Portugal team,” Klinsmann said to ESPN.
The coach Roberto Martinez described the triumph as “historic”, and said that Portugal’s Vitinha deserves the Ballon d’Or this year.
“He is a player who was essential for PSG to win everything they have won. I think that due to Vitinha’s style and effectiveness , he deserves to be awarded the Ballon d’Or.
On Ronaldo, Martinez was effusive in praise. “He wants to constantly improve. He hasn’t lost his hunger and that’s contagious. It’s incredible. It’s not the records that drive him, it’s having the opportunity to become better every day. That’s very difficult to achieve.”
Ronaldo also got a vote of backing from former Germany footballer Jurgen Klingsman. “He still can play on
Germany had got the lead and Portugal had to scramble back, which they did really well according to the coach who called it a “psychological challenge”.
“When we have clarity, intensity is part of our performance. I’d like to say that today was an important tactical challenge. Germany takes risks, opens up the game, creates 1-on-1 situations. It was a psychological challenge. We’re talking about playing against Germany. Away. There’s been a lot of talk about the last five games between Portugal and Germany and the last victory was 25 years ago.
“I also think that the goal conceded is not a deserved goal. I don’t understand why it wasn’t offside. The psychological aspect was essential. Having a reaction, believing in what we’re doing, playing eye to eye, taking risks, all of this requires intensity. The intense response is because the tactical clarity was very well executed. It’s the work of two and a half years, not two days. I’m very pleased and very proud, because it was a huge psychological challenge. It shows the work that the players have been doing over the last two and a half years,” Martinez told reporters.
The coach put the win in perspective for Portugal fans who have waited for 25 years for the moment. “ It was a historic game, with a lot of psychological demands. I think the psychological aspect is essential. It is a deserved victory. I think Germany did not have control of the game, we had control and we improved in the second half with goal opportunities. It is a victory to analyze, but it is a historic victory that will remain in the memory of our fans and Portuguese football.”
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