Promise To Take His Country To The 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo: No Excuses, Portugal Goes To Qatar

Cristiano Ronaldo (Instagram @cristiano)

JAKARTA - Can you imagine the World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo? Yes, Portugal lost 1-2 to Serbia in the eighth match of the 2022 World Cup Group A qualification which was held in Lisbon, last Monday.

Portugal has 17 points with Serbia but is in 1st place on goal difference until the seventh game. However, Serbia turned to lead the group after beating Portugal 2-1 while securing a place in the Qatar World Cup finals.

In European qualifiers, only the top team from each group advances automatically to the grand four-year tournament. The top 10 teams in the group and the top two teams in the UEFA Nations League will compete for three places at the World Cup in the play-offs next March.

Ronaldo has played in four consecutive World Cups, from 2006 in Germany to 2018 in Russia. Given his age, the upcoming World Cup might be his last.

Portugal, who are eyeing a sixth successive chance to play in the World Cup, will have to work hard to reach the tournament in the last two editions.

In the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, the Selecao secured a place to play in Russia with a 2-0 win in the last match against Switzerland.

Brazil's World Cup qualification was even more dramatic. In the second play-off against Sweden, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and led the team to a 3-2 victory.

After Monday's match, Ronaldo could not hide his annoyance. When Fernando Santos, manager of the Portugal national team, offered Ronaldo a handshake, the footballer opened his hands and expressed his anger.

Ronaldo sat on the pitch for a while without leaving the stadium. Hours later, he promised Portugal he would take the Selecao to the 2022 World Cup.

"Football has shown us time and time again that, at times, it is the most winding road that leads to the most desired results," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram the day after the game.

"Yesterday's result was tough, but not enough to bring us down. The goal of being present at the 2022 World Cup is still very much alive and we know what we have to do to get there. No excuses. Portugal to Qatar."

As for Serbia, securing a place in the World Cup for the second time in a row through Aleksandar Mitrovi's dramatic goal at the end of normal time.