CR7 fighting hard for the ball ———- Source: http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/cristiano-ronaldo-outside-box-real-madrid-1444712161-800.jpg
Over the last year, Ronaldo has been nothing short of superb. If it wasn’t for that short guy from Argentina, Ronaldo may have another Ballon d’Or to his name. Over the last 44 matches for Real Madrid, Ronaldo has netted 47 goals and assisted on 15 others. He has also scored 5 goals in 6 qualification matches for the European Championship. Although Ronaldo was not successful in leading Portugal to their first Jules Rimet Trophy in 2014, he has played well for the Portuguese national team. As their all-time leading scorer, Ronaldo has led Portugal to the European Championship finals, quarter-finals, and semi-finals in the last 3 European Championships respectively. However, with a micro-tear in his hamstring, Ronaldo could miss Euro 2016. Portugal’s national team doctor, Dr. Nuno Campos, has said if Ronaldo doesn’t sit out the next 10 or so days he could risk re-injury, and hence be sidelined for the European Championship. However, this is where things get messy. Chasing a Champions League and La Liga title, you can bet Real Madrid will be reluctant to sit Ronaldo. Furthermore, uncertainty surrounds Ronaldo’s future at Real Madrid. With rumors linking the world’s most popular player back to the Premier League, one can only wonder Ronaldo’s mindset heading into the European Championship. Regardless, watch out for Cristiano Ronaldo come June.
Other Players:
Starters:
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović
Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Dimitri Payet, Robbie Keane, Arda Turan
Defenders: Jordi Alba, Vlad Chiricheș, Ashley Williams, Taulant Xhaka
Goalkeeper: The Gianluigi Buffon
Substitutes:
Forwards: Eden Hazard, Jakub Błaszczykowski
Midfielders: Mesut Özil, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Gökhan Inler, James Milner, Balázs Dzsudzsák
Sources:
http://www.goal.com/en-us/people/portugal/1945/cristiano-ronaldo/transfers?ICID=PP_1945
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/cristiano-ronaldo-warned-playing-against-7872168
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristiano_Ronaldo
Written By: Austin Tran and Chris Arora
How to cite this article: “Euro 2016 Key Players to Watch” Written by Austin Tran and Chris Arora (2016), European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/ (accessed on (date)).
