Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has told the Euro Thrash podcast that Portugal star Ronaldo is expecting to play a different role at Euro 2024 this year
Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo will expect to play a different playing role at Euro 2024 this year, coming off the bench and not playing a full 90 minutes instead of his regular starting position.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus striker has 130 goals and 46 assists in 207 games for Portugal and has been a mainstay in the national side for years. The superstar will likely look upon Euro 2024 as potentially his last international competition with his country – and former United defender Wes Brown has explained the different role his old team-mate could find himself facing this time around.
Speaking on Reach’s new Euro Thrash podcast – which you can find on YouTube, Apple and Spotify – Brown said: “I think he will start, but ultimately I don’t think he’s going to play the whole game. I think he’ll understand that. He’s a great player to have coming off the bench, someone who is a shoo-in for goals, with his scoring record.
“It is as simple as that. I do think he will play a different role. And it will be good for him to not play a game. He will just come on for 20 minutes, and then see how far they can get.”
Brown, who secured two Champions Leagues and five League titles with the Red Devils, also noted that Ronaldo won’t be publicly berating Portugal boss Roberto Martinez for this decision, as the pair will be in mutual “respect” to one another.
Brown continued: “You’ve got to respect the manager and the manager will respect Ronaldo. It’s as simple as that with what he’s achieved in football, and they will have that discussion at some point. So I don’t think you’ll see fallouts on TV because that is what people will be talking about. That will all be done behind closed doors and before the tournament starts.”
Ronaldo has had many stand-out moments at international tournaments with Portugal, including winning Euro 2016 in dramatic fashion against France.
However, one controversial moment that will always be remembered was when Ronaldo was still at United – playing alongside United pal Wayne Rooney – as they faced each other in a quarter-final during the World Cup in 2006.
Fans will remember Rooney’s dismissal in the quarter-final against Portugal – which they would eventually lose on penalties – where he was shown a red card for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho. Ronaldo was heavily involved in exclaiming to the referee about the stamp, causing the United team-mates to get involved in a bit of a shoving match after the incident.
After Rooney was given his marching orders, Ronaldo infamously winked at the Portugal bench, giving off the appearance to fans that he was pleased that his club team-mate had been sent off in an important game.
However, Brown told Euro Thrash that the pair didn’t return to their clubs with one argument, claiming that despite Rooney’s disappointment they did not let the incident stir up any drama.
Brown said: “It’s football and you do things in the heat of the moment. And you know what never happened? There was never one argument. They just knew to get back to the club and to the be the best players in the world. And we just got on with it.
“The press took a lot out of it, but them two as individuals just got on with it because there’s no point in keeping on with stuff when it’s gone. Obviously Wayne would have been disappointed at the time. But when they all got back two, three, four weeks later, it had all gone by by then.”
He added: “It was two lads and one was trying to get the other one sent off. It’s as simple as that. And then winking just to say, ‘cheers mate, I see you in a few weeks back at the club’. That’s honestly what happened and they just got on with it.”
Watch and listen to Euro Thrash on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify with regular new episodes throughout Euro 2024.