Saturday, August 20, 2016

20 August 2003 - Ronaldo Goes International

On 20 August 2003, winger Cristiano Ronaldo made his first appearance for Portugal in a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan. 

Only 18 years old, he was clearly a star in the making for the national team, having already played 25 times for Portugal's youth teams and scoring 11 goals. And, just ten days before his senior international debut, he completed a high-profile move from Sporting to Manchester United. 

The match itself was an inauspicious friendly, with the only goal coming from Portuguese midfielder Simão Sabrosa in the 65th minute. It was a lucky bounce, as Kazakhstan defender Ihor Soloshenko's attempted clearance hit Sabrosa in the chest and deflected into the goal. But Ronaldo became a regular starter for theSelecção, helping them reach the Euro 2004 final and fourth place in the 2006 World Cup. 

In 2007, Ronaldo claimed the captain's armband for Portugal and led them to the European Championship in 2016. He is the team's all-time leader in appearances (133) and goal (61). 

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing but his debut in international football was a contribution to world sports. You people can take help from the latest sport news to get good information regarding your favorite sports and sports person.

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