History awaits: Cristiano Ronaldo prepares for a legacy-defining Euro 2024

As the world counts down the day before the end of what can only be described as a legendary career, Cristiano Ronaldo is starting his unprecedented sixth European Championship campaign. Since his name was included in Portugal’s squad for the 2004 tournament in his own backyard, the 39-year-old has yet to miss out a major tournament with his home nation.

Thanks to such longevity and inhuman consistency, the Portuguese star has racked up 207 international caps, by far the only male international footballer to surpass the two-century mark in terms of appearances for their senior national team. But, despite his age and time away from the limelight of European football, it is clear that Ronaldo is up for one last push at greatness.

Let’s begin with the most obvious of his uncountable records: his appearances. As of writing, Cristiano Ronaldo has made 25 appearances in the European Championship finals, the only player to have reached and breached twenty. But not only will one minute of his involvement on the pitch be record-extending, but it will also mark the sixth European Championship that the Starman has played in; the first to ever achieve such feat. Without that, he will be tied on five tournaments with former teammate Luka Modric.

Turning to his most marketable trait, goalscoring, the Portuguese talisman is already the all-time top scorer of the European Championship finals, qualifying and overall. In his 25 games in the finals, Ronaldo netted 14 times, five ahead of Michel Platini’s one-tournament tally in 1984.