Cristiano Ronaldo finally wants to overcome the curse against Germany and France

By scoring his 105th and 106th national goals against Hungary, Cristiano Ronaldo came one step closer to Ali Daei’s record. With 109 goals, the Iranian is still the goalscoring record holder in the history of the selections. A mark that should be erased by the fivefold Ballon d’Or in the days or weeks to come. The next Euro matches will tell us. He has also become the top scorer in the history of the competition (11 goals), overtaking Michel Platini and his 9 pawns. The French had entered them all in a single Euro. It was in 1984 and it is a record that CR7 can also seek, even if the task promises to be very complicated.

For this 5th participation in a Euro (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021), a record here too, the captain of the Seleção das Quinas has two big pieces that stand in front of him, Germany and France. Two major meetings (this Saturday at 6 p.m., then next Wednesday against the Blues at 9 p.m.) which will determine the future of his selection in this competition. Once again, Ronaldo will be expected as the leader of his team, but he also faces a great paradox. Despite his 106 goals in 176 caps with Portugal, he never managed to score against his two future opponents (a status of bête noire shared with Italy and England). A statistical anomaly for a player of his caliber, as recalled In Bola in its Friday edition.

Ronaldo has never scored against the Nationalmannschaft, nor against the Blues

Cristiano Ronaldo has faced Germany 4 times for 4 losses. More worrying, each time, it was in official competition. At the 2006 World Cup (3rd place match, 3-1 loss), Euro 2008 (quarter-final, 3-2 loss), Euro 2012 (group stage, 1-0 loss) and at the 2014 World Cup (group stage, 4-0 loss), the star failed to beat Oliver Kahn (2006), Jens Lehmann (2008) and Manuel Neuer (2012 and 2014). Faced with this last goalkeeper on the other hand, the striker can always be reassured by saying that he had a great time with Real Madrid. Since their first Champions League clash in 2012, Ronaldo has scored 7 goals against Neuer and Bayern Munich.

Against Hugo Lloris too, the Juventus player has already found the sights 5 times. Once again, it was in club with Real Madrid against Olympique Lyonnais first, then against Tottenham from 2012. With Portugal on the other hand, he never managed to score against France. He has yet faced the Blues six times, for two meetings in a great competition. Faced with Fabien Barthez in the 2006 World Cup semifinals (1-0 defeat), then Hugo Lloris in the Euro 2016 final (1-0 victory), Ronaldo remained silent. During this last meeting, he had left prematurely, injured after contact with Dimitri Payet but had seen his partners win the trophy from the sidelines. Much more than a consolation prize.