Beyond his peak, Ronaldo broke the record at Euro 2024

At 39, Cristiano Ronaldo is still surprising the football world with his impressive performance at Euro 2024. The Portuguese superstar not only participated in this major tournament but also proved that he is still one of the world’s top players, despite his age.

Ronaldo’s Euro journey started in 2004, when he was just 19 years old. At that time, the Portuguese team advanced to the final but suffered defeat against Greece. Twelve years later, in 2016, Ronaldo realized his dream of winning the Euro with the national team, although he had to leave the field early in the final due to injury.

At Euro 2024, Ronaldo once again proved why he is considered one of the greatest players of all time. Although he has not scored after the first two matches, his performance is still very impressive. In the 3-0 win over Türkiye, Ronaldo showed great solidarity when he passed the ball to teammate Bruno Fernandes to score into an empty net, instead of finishing it himself.

However, the most surprising thing about Ronaldo at Euro 2024 is his speed. At the age of 39, he reached a maximum speed of 32.7 km/h, higher than when he was 27 years old at Euro 2012 (32 km/h). This is the fastest speed Ronaldo has achieved at any European Championship since UEFA started recording this metric in 2012.

Compared to previous Euros, Ronaldo’s speed has improved significantly. At Euro 2012, when he was 27 years old, Ronaldo reached a maximum speed of 32 km/h. Four years later in France, his speed dropped to 29.1 km/h, before increasing to 29.7 km/h at Euro 2020 (taking place in 2021).

Although the speed of 32.7 km/h is not in the top 100 fastest players in the tournament, for a player about to turn 40, this is a remarkable achievement. In the Portuguese team, Ronaldo ranks fifth in terms of speed, behind only much younger players such as Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes, Pedro Neto and Diogo Jota

 

Portugal have officially advanced to the round of 16 with 6 points after 2 matches. Photo: Getty Images.

This achievement of Ronaldo is not only a testament to his innate talent but also shows his professionalism and discipline in taking care of his body. At the age of 39, when many players have retired or moved to less competitive leagues, Ronaldo is still playing at the pinnacle of European and world football.

Euro 2024 could be Ronaldo’s last major tournament with the national team. With his current form, he is still one of Portugal’s most important players in their journey to conquer the championship. Although he has not scored yet, Ronaldo’s presence, experience and leadership ability still remains. are indispensable factors and have created a great influence on the European Selecao up to the present