Amid the fierce confrontations and top performances at EURO 2024, the meaningful message about the power of experience and the continuity between generations of players will certainly be mentioned by many people.
EURO 2024 witnessed an impressive new chapter in the tournament’s history, when the icons of Portuguese football, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, continued to assert their highest level at the age of 40.
The 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic made a special mark for this veteran duo, putting them on the list of the oldest players (excluding goalkeepers) to have ever played in the most prestigious arena on the continent. . Specifically, Cristiano Ronaldo, at the age of 39 years and 134 days, rose to third place, just behind Gábor Király (Hungarian national team, 40 years and 86 days) and his own teammate Pepe, with 41 years and 113 days. the one who stagnates at number 1.
Names like Lothar Matthäus (Germany national team, 39 years and 91 days) and Morten Olsen (Denmark national team, 38 years and 308 days old), only ranked 4th and 5th respectively on this list. This is a clear testament to the extraordinary perseverance and relentless desire to conquer the top of the two Portuguese stars, legends who have left a bold mark on the world football map.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, continue to assert their highest level in their twilight years. Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey in the EURO arena has lasted two decades, starting with EURO 2004 at home. He became the first player in history to appear in six consecutive EURO tournaments, a record that will probably take a long time to be broken. The Portuguese superstar is also the greatest striker in the history of the tournament with 14 goals, and is aiming to conquer the championship title for the second time after his victory in 2016.
Pepe, Ronaldo’s longtime teammate, also has an equally illustrious career. Since first playing for Seleccao in 2007, the steel midfielder has made 138 appearances, helping Portugal win the title at EURO 2016 and being honored three times in the tournament’s Best Team. He is on par with legends such as Paolo Maldini, Laurent Blanc and Cristiano Ronaldo himself in this achievement.
Lamine Yamal represents the next generation of talented young players in world football.The presence of Ronaldo and Pepe on the EURO 2024 field not only has symbolic meaning, but is also an endless source of inspiration for generations of young players. They are proof of the longevity of the immutable values in football: talent, will, professionalism and desire to win.
However, age is not the only factor that creates the appeal of EURO 2024. Besides veteran stars, this year’s tournament also witnessed the shine of a group of talented young players, promising to creating a brilliant future for European football. Lamine Yamal, the “prodigy” of the Spanish team, is a typical example. This 16-year-old player broke two records at EURO 2024, becoming the youngest player to appear and assist a goal in the tournament’s history.
EURO 2024 promises to bring many surprises and unforgettable emotions to fans. Amidst the fierce confrontations and top performances, the meaningful message about the power of experience and the continuity between generations of players will certainly be mentioned by many people.
