Cristiano Ronaldo: "Portugal are better without me? I have nothing to prove!"
Cristiano Ronaldo said he knew that given the chance, he would score against Sweden again at Friends Arena to bring up his 100th goal for Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo brought up a century of international strikes by finding the target at Sweden's Friends Arena on Tuesday and insisted afterwards he has "no point to prove".
It was Ronaldo's first appearance for his country in 2020, having sat out of last week's 4-1 win over Croatia. That result had prompted suggestions Portugal might be better in the absence of their talisman, but he set the record straight on Tuesday. Two goals - his 100th and 101st at international level - secured a 2-0 win at the same venue where he famously scored a hat-trick to get Portugal through to the 2014 World Cup.
My career speaks for itself - Cristiano
The Juventus forward said afterwards: "I didn't follow the comments. It's only an opinion. I knew I had left a mark at this stadium and I knew that, if I played, I would leave my mark again. I don't care about provocations. What I have done in my career speaks for itself. No, I have to prove nothing to anyone, and when I have to prove it, I show it on the pitch."
On his milestone goal, Ronaldo said: "I am very happy. Firstly, because the team won, which was the goal we had. Then the 100 mark and then the 101, with two goals, makes me very happy. Now the future is only for God. I feel good, I feel good for playing with these young players."
Iran legend Ali Daei's record of 109 goals is the next in the striker's sights. "I have reached the 100-goal mark, and now I'm looking at the record," Ronaldo added. "It's step by step, without making it an obsession."