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Joshua Kimmich has heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the UEFA Nations League A Championship semifinal between Germany and Portugal on Wednesday (June 4). The Bayern Munich legend was in awe of the Portuguese superstar's numbers and pointed out that he has been playing at the top level for 20 years.
Speaking to the media ahead of his 100th appearance for Germany, Kimmich said he was proud of his own achievement. He went on to laud Ronaldo for representing his country for over two decades, saying (via GOAL):
"I read that he scored [136] goals for the national team. Cristiano Ronaldo has crazy numbers, especially when you look at the consistency, he's been playing at a very high level for over 20 years, performing for his country. For me, 100 caps already makes me very proud."
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Ronaldo is in the Portugal squad and could make his 220th appearance for the country this week. However, head coach Roberto Martinez has hinted that he will bench the Al-Nassr superstar for the upcoming matches, saying (via O Jogo):
"Cristiano has already helped our team from the bench, it has happened in Nations League games. It's part of it. We're talking about a starting eleven that has five substitutions. As coach, I need to make the best decisions for the team. The reason for a decision is to improve and give more options to win."
Germany and Portugal face off in the UEFA Nations League semifinal on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena. Spain will take on France in the other semifinal on Thursday (June 5) at the MHPArena.
When Cristiano Ronaldo hinted at international retirement
In 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo spoke to the media about his potential retirement, saying he will move on when it's time. He added that the decision will be made before he is asked to quit by the manager or the FA. He said (via BBC):
"When the time comes, I'll move on. It won't be a difficult decision to make. If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave."
Earlier in 2024, he said his retirement from football was not far away. He had also remarked that Al-Nassr would likely be his final club.
"I don't know if I will retire soon, in two or three years, but probably I will retire here at Al-Nassr. When I leave the national team, I won't tell anyone in advance and it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a very well thought-out one," he said (via BBC).
Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo are locked in talks over a new contract, with his current one expiring this month. He has been linked with Al-Hilal and several sides that will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.
