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Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha has shared what it is like to be in the same dressing room as the great Cristiano Ronaldo. The 26-year-old has admitted being completely smitten by his captain, claiming he is proud to be able to train and play alongside him.
Palhinha, who plies his trade in the Primeira Liga with Sporting Lisbon, made his debut for Portugal in March 2021. So far, he has made 12 appearances for his national team, finding the back of the net twice.
While Palhinha is only finding his feet in national team colors, Cristiano Ronaldo has already gone down as Portugal’s most influential player in history. The Manchester United star has 184 caps for the nation, registering 115 goals and 41 assists.
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Not only is Ronaldo Portugal’s leading goalscorer, but he is also the only Portuguese captain in history to win the European Championship.
Having such an inspirational figure as captain is any footballer’s dream, and Palhinha is no exception. In an interview with Sporting (via ABola), the 26-year-old has revealed what it is like to be in the presence of Ronaldo.
He said:
“Cristiano [Ronaldo] always put me at ease. I was used to seeing him on television since I was little, but being in front of him made my first call even more real. Being in the national team, sharing with him, is a great source of pride for any player.”
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Cristiano Ronaldo has no plans of stopping yet. He is determined to guide his beloved Portugal past World Cup play-offs and go deep into the World Cup in 2022.
Ronaldo’s Portugal will take on Turkey while Italy face North Macedonia in their semi-final play-off. The winning teams will meet in the Path C final, meaning only one between Portugal and Italy will appear in the World Cup next year.
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most international goals in history
Manchester United number 7 Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace against the Republic of Ireland in September took his goal tally to 111. The double saw him shatter Iranian Ali Daei’s long-standing record of 109.
Later in December, Cristiano Ronaldo became a proud member of the 800-goal club. He scored a brilliant brace against Arsenal to attain the remarkable feat.
