Frank Christian
Cristiano Ronaldo, a veteran Al Nassr striker, had his first Olympic experience 20 years ago. At Euro 2004, Portugal, with Ronaldo in the squad, made it to the final but lost to Greece.
Despite a challenging European Championship this year, where Ronaldo had 23 shot attempts (second only to Kylian Mbappe), he failed to score a goal, and Portugal exited in the quarterfinals to France.
The Olympic soccer tournaments are set to start on July 24 and run for two weeks, culminating in the men’s gold-medal match at Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes stadium on August 9. However, Portugal will not be participating.
Portugal’s Olympic History and Ronaldo’s Involvement
Portugal’s men last competed in the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, finishing on top of their group but losing 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals. Ronaldo did not feature in that tournament or in any other Olympic event besides Athens 2004, where Portugal struggled and finished at the bottom of their group.
How Olympic Squads are Formed
Each qualified nation can include up to three players over the age of 23 in their Olympic football squad. This rule does not apply to women’s teams.
Portugal’s Olympic Journey
Portugal has participated in only four summer Games, with their best finish being fourth place in Atlanta in 1996.
List of Olympic Men’s Soccer Champions
Here is a comprehensive list of the Olympic medallists in the men’s soccer tournament throughout the years.
