Cristiano Ronaldo's 'hunger' fuels Portugal's charge into Nations League final
Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable appetite for success showed no signs of waning on Wednesday night as the 40-year-old forward fired Portugal into the Uefa Nations League final with a decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Germany.
The Al Nassr striker, whose future at club level remains the subject of intense speculation, proved once again why he remains central to Portugal's ambitions, slotting home the winner in the 68th minute – his 137th goal in 220 international appearances.
Midfielder Bernardo Silva, long-time teammate and admirer, was effusive in his praise for the veteran forward after the match.
'It's his ambition to keep going,' Silva said. 'It's never easy – I don't know how old he is, I think he's like 40 – to still be hungry to go every day. He's been doing this for more than 20 years. It's tough, but he's here with us and we're happy he scored again.'
Ronaldo's goal, a simple finish from a Nuno Mendes cut-back, came after Portugal had equalised through Francisco Conceicao, cancelling out an earlier strike from Germany's Florian Wirtz. The win was all the more significant as it marked Ronaldo's first victory over Germany, ending a run of five consecutive defeats and handing Portugal their first win against Die Mannschaft since 2000.
For Conceicao, the win carried extra significance, as his father Sergio scored a hat-trick the last time Portugal beat Germany – at the European Championship in 2000.
Despite off-field uncertainty – with his contract at Al Nassr expiring this month and talk of a potential switch to Al Hilal to feature in this summer's Club World Cup – Ronaldo's focus remained razor-sharp in Leipzig.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez highlighted that relentless mentality as the defining factor in Ronaldo's continued impact at the highest level.
'It's difficult to put into words,' Martinez said. 'He takes each day as an opportunity to get better. As a human, when you have success, you wake up and you have less hunger. But not Cristiano.'
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann also tipped his hat to the Portuguese veteran, attributing Ronaldo's longevity to his meticulous approach to physical and mental conditioning.
'He is investing everything in his body – from sleep to nutrition, to the intensity of his training – so that everything doesn't hurt as much as it should at 40,' Nagelsmann said.
Portugal will now meet the Netherlands in Sunday's final, with Ronaldo once again set to lead the line – driven, as ever, by the hunger that has defined his storied career.
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