Spain coach De la Fuente dismisses 'bittersweet' label on Ronaldo's Portugal exit
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has shut down suggestions that Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal national team was bittersweet. "God forbid," De la Fuente told EFE on Tuesday, rejecting the narrative around Ronaldo's exit which followed reported tensions with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo announced his international retirement on Monday, saying "the day has come for me to return our national team's No. 7 shirt" to the next generation. In an emotional message, he acknowledged the decision wasn't easy, thanking teammates, coaches, family and Portuguese fans for their support throughout his record-breaking international career.
The 39-year-old leaves as Portugal's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. His exit comes after Portugal's quarter-final exit at Euro 2024, where Ronaldo went goalless in open play for the first time at a major tournament.
De la Fuente's comments come ahead of Spain's final Nations League group matches against Czech Republic and England this week. The Spain boss also named two players he believes could replace Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as world football's next superstars.
For Nigerian fans who've watched Ronaldo dominate for two decades: Is this the true end of an era, or will we see him in a different role with the national team?