Key Takeaways
Cristiano Ronaldo made his senior team debut for Portugal on August 20, 2003.
He scored his first international goal in Euro 2004, helping Portugal reach the finals.
Ronaldo captained Portugal from 2008 and led them through several Euros, with a historic victory in Euro 2016.
Portugal won Euro 2016, beating France in the final despite Ronaldo's early injury.
Portugal was eliminated in the Round of 16 in Euro 2020, but hope remains high for Euro 2024.
On 20th August 2003, an 18 year old Cristiano Ronaldo made his senior team debut for Portugal, coming on as a substitute for Luís Figo. The talented youngster was then selected for Portugal's UEFA Euro 2004 side, which was to be held in their homeland.
Ronaldo scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece. However, Portugal managed to finish their group as leaders and qualify for the knockout stages. The talented Portuguese youngster was instrumental for Portugal in the latter stages, helping them overcome the likes of England and Holland to reach the finals.
Portugal and Ronaldo had the chance to make history in the finals at their homeland, but ultimately ended up losing 1-0 to the very same Greece side that beat them earlier in the competition. Thus, the Portuguese dream got shattered.
Euro 2008 and 2012
Ronaldo scored a total of 8 goals in the qualifying games for Euro 2008. It was in the year of 2008 that he became Portugal's captain as well. Despite his brilliance in the qualifying fixtures, CR7 only managed to score a single goal in the tournament. Portugal were able to qualify from their group, but eventually suffered a 3–2 loss against eventual finalists Germany that took them out of the tournament.
Portugal's captain continued his excellence in qualification fixtures for the 2012 Euro as well, scoring 7 goals. However, they were drawn into the Group of Death in the tournament, with the likes of Germany, Denmark, and Netherlands. They managed to defy the odds and qualify to the knockout stages, finishing the group in second place behind Germany. Ronaldo was instrumental in achieving this feat, with the Portuguese captain named man of the match in 2 group games.
After beating the Czech Republic in the quarters, Portugal were set to face Spain in the semis. The semi-final ended in a penalty shootout, which was won by Spain. Ronaldo shockingly didn't take a penalty, with his decision to take the final penalty backfiring on him and the team.
The ultimate glory
Ronaldo was coming to Euro 2016 in five form, scoring 5 goals in the qualifying stages. He also made history in the process, with his 23 goals in the UEFA European Championship making him the competition's all-time leading goalscorer.
Ronaldo began the tournament in poor form, failing to convert his chances and even missed a penalty. However, he scored a brace to help Portugal seal a 3-3 draw against Hungary. This feat also made him the first player to score in four European Championships. Despite not winning a single group game, Portugal managed to qualify to the knockouts due to the competition's newly expanded format at the time.
The knockout stages saw the very best of CR7, as he played a key role in helping Portugal beat the likes of Croatia, Poland, and Wales to reach the finals. The semi-final against Wales saw him break few records, as he became the first player to participate in three European Championship semi-finals, and his goal in the match saw him join Michel Platini as the competition's all-time top scorer with nine goals.
In the final against hosts France, Ronaldo was forced off after just 25 minutes following a challenge from Dimitri Payet. He was stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Quaresma. However, we saw another version of CR7 from the sideline, one that gives the highest level of motivation and inspiration for his teammates. The Portuguese captain was giving instructions to his side like a manager, and cheering them up to make history. In the end, the miracle finally happened, as Portuguese forward Eder, who came on as a substitute scored in the 109th minute to earn Portugal a 1–0 victory.
The heartbreak of 2004 was finally gone, Ronaldo finally lifted the Euro Cup as Portugal captain.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s European Championship record
Games: 25
Goals: 14
Assists: 6
Penalties: 3
Free-kicks: 0
Aftermath
Portugal and Ronaldo couldn't replicate their historic success in the 2020 Euros, as they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Belgium 1-0.
Now all eyes will be on Ronaldo and his young guns for the upcoming 2024 Euro Cup, as the world awaits to see if they can make history again.
Read here about the List of Cristiano Ronaldo Records
