"He will always have the same importance" - Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes backs 'best player in the world' Cristiano Ronaldo to 'overcome barriers that others cannot'

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has heaped praise on veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming that he will continue to add to the accomplishments of his illustrious career.

Ronaldo received an award for being Portugal's record goal-scorer at the 2022 Gala Quinas de Ouro on Tuesday (September 20). The 37-year-old, who is set to feature in his fifth FIFA World Cup in November later this year, has netted 117 goals in 189 appearances for his national team.

After accepting the honor at the event, Ronaldo claimed that he is well-prepared to lead his team to future glory and has no plans to hang up his boots in the near future. He said (via Observador):

"I still feel motivated. I feel that my ambition is still up there. I am in a national team with many young players still, with an extraordinary future and obviously, I want to be a part of this World Cup and the European Championship as well."

In an interview with Record, Fernandes was asked for his opinion on his teammate's recent announcements related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 UEFA European Championship. He said:

"[The people] who believed that he didn't want to be at that European Championship, don't know him. We know well the resilience, the taste and the ambition he has shown over the years. It's not new."

He added:

"We know that Cristiano wants to achieve things that others have never achieved. He will always have the same importance. He is the best player in the world and will continue to overcome barriers that others cannot."

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has recently found himself warming the bench for Manchester United. Under new Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has started just three matches. He has scored only once in eight games across all competitions.

He will next be in action for Portugal and is currently preparing with the Fernando Santos-coached team for their UEFA Nations League clash against the Czech Republic on Saturday (September 24).

Cristiano Ronaldo hopes to win FIFA World Cup trophy with Portugal

After being knocked out by Uruguay at the last-16 stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to go much further and lift the much-coveted trophy in Qatar later this year.

Currently ranked ninth in the world, Portugal have been drawn in Group H alongside Uruguay, South Korea and Ghana. The tournament is set to kick off on November 21, with the final on December 18.