Cristiano Ronaldo admitted that he knows Portugal are not among the favourites in the World Cup but the five times Ballon d’Or winner is optimistic ahead of the showpiece event, claiming that nothing is impossible in football.
Ronaldo is ready to return to lead his team for Thursday’s friendly against Algeria after enjoying some time off since Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph over Liverpool in the Final at Kiev last month.
Ronaldo led Portugal to a World Cup reception in Lisbon held by President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa on Wednesday. In that event, Ronaldo promised a great deal of ambition from all the players while he admitted that Portugal might not be the favourites in World Cup.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. “What I can guarantee is a great ambition of all of us players and technical team.
“We know we are not the favourites, we have to be realistic, but in football nothing is impossible.
“I think we must think match by match. The first match, the group stage will be extremely difficult but I think that with these players we need to think big and I am confident that we will give our best.”
“What I can say is that we will do the same [of Euro 2016] fight to the end always keeping hope that in football everything is possible,” Ronaldo – Portugal's most capped player and leading scorer – continued.
“Step by step see what will happen, what the competition will bring us and for us is a privilege to represent Portugal's colours [and] represent this nation.
“We will give our best and wait to see what we will get from it. Thank you very much to have us here for us is a privilege, thank you very much.” Ronaldo concluded.
Portugal are set to kick off their World Cup opener against Spain on June 15.
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