Euro 2012: Why Cristiano Ronaldo Has a Point to Prove with Portugal This Summer

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 28, 2012

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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will head into Euro 2012 propelled by another prolific club season with Real Madrid and with the weight of expectancy falling more heavily on his shoulders than ever.

With Portugal drawn together with Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark in the obligatory "Group of Death" next month, a barnstorming, unmarkable and free-scoring Ronaldo is essential to their hopes of progress.

The statistics suggest that Portugal will go home before the knockout stages. Paulo Bento's young squad needed a playoff to qualify for Poland and Ukraine, and will be up against German and Dutch teams that romped to the finals and are both considered among the favorites.

And then there are the outsiders from Denmark who won't be overawed, having beaten Portugal 2-1 in October and having earned the top spot in their qualifying group.

"Portugal are not favourites, which is conducive, seeing as we are a young team led by a young selector," Ronaldo told Kicker Magazine, as per FourFourTwo. "The pressure is on bigger teams like Germany, Netherlands and obviously Spain."

But the pressure is also on Ronaldo.

On the balance of his four major tournaments so far, the 27-year-old has left us wanting on the international stage. He has a point to prove in Poland and Ukraine, and he knows it.

Cristiano Ronaldo's record at major international tournaments       Tournament Games played (as substitute)     Goals   Assists   Portugal's Progress  Euro 2004 6 (2) 2 2 Runners-up World Cup 2006 6 1 0

Fourth Place

Euro 2008 3 1 1 Quarterfinals World Cup 2010              4 1 1 Last 16 TOTAL 19 (2) 5 4
(Euro 2004 and 2008 stats as per UEFA.com. World Cup numbers courtesy of ESPNsoccernet.)

Arguably Ronaldo's best international tournament so far was his first—Portugal's ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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