Another Real Madrid legend will retire with Toni Kroos after EURO 2024

Every year an international tournament rolls around, it is a bittersweet feeling. There seems to be a perfect mix of young players coming through the ranks, contrasted with those who may be playing their final tournament. For Real Madrid, this can be personified through the two obvsious examples at EURO 2024; Arda Guler and Toni Kroos.

This is known to be Toni Kroos' final international tournament. He has already played his final Real Madrid game, before representing his country on home soil. However, another Real Madrid player has confirmed that he will join Toni Kroos in international retirement after this competition.

Another Real Madrid legend will retire with Toni Kroos after EURO 2024

That player is Real Madrid's greatest player of all-time, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal international reached the quarterfinal of the competition, where Portugal will face France. It was a bittersweet match against Slovenia, as Ronaldo missed a penalty in extra time, but scored in the shootout. Of all players to save his penalty from a Real Madrid standpoint, it just had to be Jan Oblak, didn't it?

Speaking after his penalty miss, Cristiano Ronaldo was obviously overwhelmed with emotion. However, the thing which stuck out the most, was Ronaldo confirming it will be his final Euros tournament.

In his own words via Teledeporte, Ronaldo said: “It’s certainly my last Euro. But I’m not moved by that, I’m moved by everything that football entails. The enthusiasm I have for the game, the excitement of seeing my fans, and my family, the affection that people have for me. It’s not because I’m leaving football, because if I do, what else is there for me to do or win?"

But now, Cristiano Ronaldo will face off against Kylian Mbappe's France in the quarterfinal which will be a spectacle for the entire world, not least Real Madrid fans. It is a repeat of the 2016 final, where Cristiano Ronaldo was arguably at his peak, despite missing most of the game through injury.

It is of course a shame to see a legendary player hang up his boots, at least from the perspective of the Euros. It is a competition which has served Cristiano Ronaldo, as he brought it back to Real Madrid in 2016.

Ronaldo touched upon the feeling of not being able to win once he retires. It is an overarching theme of his career so far, which leads Real Madrid fans to the belief that he will never truly leave the game. He is bound to have some impact on the game, even when he stops playing.

Of course, Ronaldo will continue to shine, even after his final Euros tournament. He is a well-respected figure for Al Nassr and he has not indicated that he will hang up his boots from domestic football, or even from international football as a whole. He has only confirmed he will retire from the Euros, which is sad news for the competition.

What is your favourite Cristiano Ronaldo memory?