Ronaldo to Start Portugal's Final Euro 2024 Group Game Against Georgia

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo will start Portugal's final Group F match against Georgia at Euro 2024, coach Roberto Martinez announced on Tuesday. 

The 39-year-old veteran forward could become the oldest player to score at a European Championship during Wednesday's match in Gelsenkirchen, a record recently set by Croatia's Luka Modric on Monday night.

While Ronaldo has yet to score in this tournament, he contributed significantly by setting up Bruno Fernandes in Portugal's previous 3-0 victory over Turkey, which secured the top spot in the group.

"I can tell you that the captain will be in the starting XI," Martinez told reporters. "He played one preparation game, had a very good season, and has played a lot of minutes. It's important to maintain his competitive standard because starting and stopping isn't any good for you as a player."

Martinez also addressed concerns over pitch invaders, which became an issue during Portugal's win against Turkey last Saturday. Ronaldo was initially amused when a young boy burst onto the field for a selfie but grew irritated as more fans breached security to harass him in the final minutes of the match.

"He's been with the national team for over 20 years; he's a very experienced player who understands the support from fans, not just in Portugal but worldwide," Martinez said. "I hope there won't be any pitch invasions because it's dangerous and not good for football. It's the part of the game that we don't want to see."

Although Portugal has already won Group F, their performance against Georgia will impact the final standings. A victory for bottom-team Georgia could see them advance to the last 16.