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| Cristiano Ronaldo will captain Portugal in the 2024 European Championship. Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images |
Cristiano Ronaldo said that Portugal's current generation of players deserves to win the 2024 European Championship.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinha, and Manchester City pair Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias are among the high-profile players in the Portuguese team aiming to win this year in Germany.
The five time Ballon d'Or winner said: "I believe that this generation deserves to win a competition of this magnitude. Semifinals? I hope we can go further.
"We have to go step by step, live in the moment, be calm, work as well as we have until now, believe that it is possible. We know it's a short competition, but the team is ready."
Ronaldo will compete in a record sixth European Championship in Germany, alongside two other members of the current squad -- Pepê and Rui Patrício -- who were a part of Portugal's Euro 2016 winning squad.
"I enjoy football, records are a consequence, not a goal, they appear naturally," he said.
"It's my sixth European Championship, it's about enjoying it in the best possible way, playing well and making sure the team can win."
This will be his first tournament under coach Roberto Martinez, the former Belgium manager.
Portugal play Czech Republic in their Group F opener on 18 June before fixtures against Turkey and Georgia.
In Portugal's 3-0 warm-up win against the Republic of Ireland, the 39-year-old scored twice, increasing his men's international goals record to 130.
"It's getting off to a good start which is essential," Ronaldo said.
"I feel ready, I've prepared myself for this competition."
Despite playing in five European Championships, Ronaldo still feels the thrill of the competition.
"Anxiety is always there, that tingling in your stomach, especially the day before the game," he said.
"I'm glad I feel it, when I don't feel it, it's better to give up and stop. I feel motivated and prepared. I see the team quite calm."
- Adriana Garcia
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