Manchester United famous person Ronaldo is hoping to qualify for a fifth World Cup with Portugal and secure any other chance to raise the trophy for the first time at the age of 37. The winners of the fit in Porto will e book a niche at this year's finals in Qatar.
"The team is quite confident, I sense all the gamers are equipped," Ronaldo told a press convention on Monday. "For us, this game is a matter of existence and demise, we are privy to its significance and I take this opportunity to attraction to the supporters to present us first rate help the next day."
Portugal might have probably been anticipating to stand Italy in the play-off final, however the European champions slumped to a shock 1-0 domestic defeat by using North Macedonia remaining week. The Macedonians additionally claimed a surprise away victory over Germany earlier within the qualifying marketing campaign.
"We're gambling North Macedonia and of path people suppose it will be an simpler opponent," admitted Ronaldo. "From my point of view it's going to be a really hard game because if the Macedonians are right here it's due to the fact they deserve to be. North Macedonia are a completely organised crew, however if Portugal are at their satisfactory, they beat any team in the international."
Ronaldo, the best-ever report goalscorer in international soccer, will be forty one by the point of the 2026 World Cup inside the United States, Mexico and Canada. But the Portugal captain would now not say if Qatar would be his last possibility to play at football's showpiece event.
"The one who will determine my future is me," he said. "If I want to play greater, I play, if I don't want to, I don't play. Period."
Portugal coach Fernando Santos has formerly hinted that he's going to step down from the position if his group fail to qualify for the first time for the reason that 1998.
"If we assume that, theoretically, the Macedonians are weaker, we are on the incorrect music, it's the worst feasible state of affairs," said the sixty seven-yr-antique, who has been Portugal boss due to the fact that 2014 and led them to Euro 2016 glory. "We ought to face North Macedonia as we might have confronted Italy."
