I HAVE A STARTER'S MINDSET: RONALDO

The Portugal striker, 39, said international retirement has never crossed his mind

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Portugal's star forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions that he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that postEuro 2024 criticism did not worry him.

The Portuguese host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Sept 5 during this international break, before welcoming Scotland three days later.

"That's all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end," the 39-year-old Ronaldo said on Sept 2.

"Quite the opposite, as it gave me even more motivation... The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League. We've already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don't think long term, it's always short term."

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European champions for the first time in France.

"Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter," he added.