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Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday admitted that he is not the player he used to be, but noted that he has given his best, and is still giving his best in the game.
The Portugal international hit back at critics who he said had “tried to kill me for the last 23 years”.
The 41-year-old superstar was optimistic, jovial and sentimental ahead of his last-16 match against Spain at home to the Dallas Cowboys in his final World Cup.
One of the best footballers in history, the former Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid superstar refused to say when he would end his international career.
But when asked about what lies ahead and the criticism he has faced in recent years, Ronaldo admitted that “I am not the player I used to be”.
But the Portugal forward and captain said “I didn’t do too bad”, pointing out that he had scored three goals in North America – a brace against Uzbekistan in a 5-0 group stage defeat and a penalty in a 2-1 win over Croatia in the last 32.
Happy to receive journalists who wanted to ask about his future and the intense spotlight on him, he told reporters: “It’s been like this since I was 18, it’s not going to change.
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“I always put my heart and soul into achieving our goals – playing or not playing, I will always have an important role to play.
“As I said before, (I will stop) when I vote, not when you vote, you always ask the same questions.
“I don’t want to draw attention to it because it’s less important.”
Ronaldo said this was the World Cup he had enjoyed the most, citing the “emotion” of it all on and off the pitch.
Asked again about his international future, he replied: “You’ve been trying to kill me for the last 23 years, but you must have seen that it wasn’t worth doing, it was a waste of time, but you tried and tried and tried and tried and tried.
“I’m used to this,” said the veteran player who is the top goalscorer in international football history.
Ronaldo, who was greeted with applause at a press conference, added: “I will not be more like Cristiano Ronaldo or less because I won the World Cup.”
“Age gives you the maturity and experience to see how relative everything is,” he says, reflectively.
“I even said thank you for the attacks I felt after I turned 40… the criticism is how you grow, so thank you for doing this.”
Ronaldo even singled out one reporter because “I knew he didn’t like me” and challenged him to ask questions.
“To talk to you, some of you, especially those who don’t like us – I remember people’s faces very well,” he said with a grin.
“Listen, I’ll be honest: whatever happens tomorrow, Cristiano Ronaldo will leave with a clear conscience – not 100 percent but 1,000 percent because in life and football I have given everything.”
