Veterans’ Last Dance: The Final Gathering of Five War Heroes
Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Olivier Giroud are five legendary players who are likely playing in their last Euro tournament, hoping to finish with a continental title.
Ronaldo for a second Euro
At 39 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is showing no signs of slowing down. Despite being benched during the World Cup and moving to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, many thought his international career was over. However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner proved his critics wrong by being instrumental in the qualifying rounds with 10 goals. The new Portuguese coach, Roberto Martinez, will rely on Ronaldo to lead Portugal to European glory once again.
Pepe to break a record in Germany
Even if Portugal doesn’t win the Euro tournament, 41-year-old Pepe will leave a mark by becoming the oldest player to compete in a European Championship, surpassing Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, who was 40 years and 86 days old when Hungary was eliminated by Belgium in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
Modric’s last chance with Croatia
After the World Cup, Luka Modric’s international future was uncertain. Now, at 38 years old and with a new contract at Real Madrid, the Croatian playmaker will have one final chance in Germany to bring a major trophy home for his country.
Kroos, a farewell at home
German midfielder Toni Kroos, 34, who announced his retirement after Euro 2024 in his home country, recently won his fifth Champions League title with Real Madrid. With 22 titles under his belt at the club level, Kroos aims to end his career on a high note by clinching another title with the German national team on home soil.
Giroud, the end of a French monument
Olivier Giroud, 37, France’s all-time leading goal scorer with 57 goals, has decided to retire from international football after Euro 2024. After playing a key role for the French national team for over a decade, Giroud will bid farewell to the team following in the footsteps of Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane, marking the end of an era for the World Cup-winning squad of 2018.