Ronaldo tight-lipped over future as Cavani double knocks Portugal out

At 33, Cristiano Ronaldo must surely be nearing the end with Portugal’s national team. He’s not saying, though.

“Now it’s not the time to talk about the future,” Ronaldo said after Portugal’s 2-1 loss to Uruguay in Saturday night’s last-16 tie in Sochi. “I’m sure the national team will remain as one of the best in the world.

“We have great players, a fantastic group, with young players, with great ambition to win and that’s why I’m confident and I’m happy, because I know the national team will always be giving its best.”

Ronaldo helped Portugal win their first major trophy two years ago at the European Championship. But they have failed to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, with Ronaldo again failing to score for his country in the knockout round of the tournament.

Ronaldo will be 35 by the next European Championship, and 37 by the next World Cup in Qatar.

“The national team will keep winning,” he said after Saturday’s defeat.

Ronaldo had a great start at the tournament in Russia, scoring four goals in two matches, but he couldn’t find the net in the next two games as Portugal lost first place in their group and were eventually eliminated by Uruguay.

In his fourth World Cup, Ronaldo couldn’t hide his frustration late in the match in Sochi, furiously complaining at the referee after a noncall for a foul that could have given Portugal a last chance to equalise.

He was a lot calmer after the match, politely shaking the referee’s hand and smiling as he slowly walked past reporters without taking any questions.

“This is football. Whoever scores more goals wins,” Ronaldo, pictured, said. “That’s why Uruguay has to be congratulated.”

“Cristiano still has a lot to give to football,” Santos said. “We already have a new competition in September [the Uefa Nations League] and obviously we want Cristiano to be with us. He can help the younger players with his knowledge. We have a team with a lot of young players, so it’s important that our captain remains with us.”

Instead of Ronaldo, it was Edinson Cavani who took the spotlight. He combined superbly with Luis Suarez in the seventh minute to open the scoring, heading home the Barcelona forward’s inch-perfect cross.

Portugal equalised with Pepe’s header ten minutes after the interval, but Uruguay regained the lead just seven minutes later when Cavani curled home a beautiful shot on the run from the edge of the area.

Cavani limped off in the 70th minute with a leg injury but is hopeful of recovering in time for the quarter-final clash with France on Friday.