Ronaldo resumes Portugal career in Nations League as new talents rule Europe
Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his record-setting Portugal career so long he's seeing a new generation of Spain players grow up to rule international football.
"When I will feel like I'm not adding anymore, I'll be the first to leave," the 39-year-old Ronaldo said late Monday ahead of national team football resuming in Europe this week. "(My motivation) is to come to the national team and to win the Nations League."
Portugal and Spain both play on Thursday to start a new UEFA Nations League less than two months after the European Championship final in Germany.
Though Ronaldo has captained Portugal to win past editions of both competitions — the 2019 Nations League and Euro 2016 — Spain now holds both trophies sparked by an exciting wave of talent.
Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old sensation of Euro 2024, and 20-year-old Gavi were not born when Ronaldo played in his first major tournament final, the Euro 2004 loss to Greece.
Some of Ronaldo's peak career years clashed with the great Spain team that won an unprecedented three straight titles at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. In the last two of those, Spain eliminated Portugal in the knockout rounds.
Now Spain is back on top before the 2026 World Cup, that could yet see a 41-year-old Ronaldo — and Lionel Messi who would turn 39 during the tournament in North America — play at a record sixth edition.
When asked about his World Cup plans on Monday, Ronaldo said in translated comments, "I can't give you an answer because I don't know what will happen."
Ronaldo was dropped from the Portugal team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and failed to score in five games at Euro 2024. Now he is preparing to face Croatia on Thursday and add to his men's national-team records of 212 games and 130 goals.
"I'll go with a clear conscience as always because I know what I am," he said, "I know what I do and what I will continue to do."
2026 World Cup is coming fast
The Nations League opens with the next World Cup very much in mind.
European qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup are set to be drawn in Zurich in December, likely with seedings decided by FIFA world rankings updated in November after Nations League group play ends.
World Cup qualifying in Europe typically starts in March but the top-tier teams who advance to the Nations League Final Four next June are not free until September.
Those in the Final Four lineup must go into four-team World Cup qualifying groups, playing just six games in total from September-November 2025. Five-team qualifying groups must start in March or June.
UEFA members have a slightly different path to the 2026 World Cup because they get 16 places in the expanded 48-team finals tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 12 group winners qualify direct to the World Cup. The 12 runners-up enter a 16-team playoffs in March 2026. Four more playoff entries are based on Nations League standings.
The 16 playoff teams are drawn into four playoff brackets. Single-game semifinals and finals decide the four World Cup entries.
By giving teams a qualifying route from the Nations League into World Cups and European Championships, UEFA aims to boost its third-tier national-team event.
Spain mainly reigns again
Spain was the men's football champion at Euro 2024, the Paris Olympics and the 2023 Nations League.
The Nations League defense starts with two away games, on Thursday against Serbia in Belgrade and Sunday against Switzerland in Geneva. Also in the group is Denmark.
The main attraction since Euro 2024 is watching good friends Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams attacking teams from each wing.
Ageless greats back in action
Not only have 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, who turns 39 on Monday, and 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski not yet retired from international football, they will meet in the same Nations League group.
It should be Ronaldo vs. Modrić on Thursday in Lisbon and Modrić vs. Lewandowski on Sunday in Osijek, Croatia.
It is Scotland's honor and challenge to face the veteran trio — combining for 542 national-team games and 239 goals heading into this week — six times in Group A1 through mid-November.
France the team to watch
France captained by Kylian Mbappé has two standout games, hosting Italy on Friday in Paris and welcoming Belgium on Monday at Lyon.
Israel completes the group and plays its first two games in neutral Hungary because of the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Israel's home game against Italy on Monday is in Budapest, and its away game against Belgium on Friday is in Debrecen.
The Belgian football federation said in July "no local authority in Belgium considers it possible" to stage a game against Israel for security reasons.
Another high-profile game sees Euro 2024 semifinalist Netherlands hosting Germany next Tuesday.
Another format change
The multi-tiered Nations League format always was complex since launching in 2018 to give teams more competitive games against opponents of similar level.
Top-tier teams in League A are competing to advance to the Final Four the following year, and avoid relegation to League B. England, Austria and Turkey are in the second tier.
Mid- and low-ranked nations can win promotion and look for playoffs paths to reach a World Cup or European Championship. That is how Euro 2024 surprise Georgia qualified.
The new feature for this edition is a quarterfinals round next March for eight top-tier nations, and promotion-relegation playoffs for 20 more teams.
