Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota, has opened up about his limited playing time during the Euro 2024 tournament with Portugal. Despite the frustrations, he refrained from criticizing his nation's reliance on veteran player Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jota was restricted to just 97 minutes of play throughout the tournament in Germany. All of his appearances were off the bench while Cristiano Ronaldo played more minutes (486) than any other Portuguese player. This happened despite Ronaldo failing to score in any of his appearances and facing criticism that he was holding back a squad filled with quality players.
Portugal exited at the Euro 2024 quarter-final stage after losing to France in a penalty shootout. In this crucial game, Jota did not make an appearance even though he had shown promise in all of his previous runouts.
The frustration behind the scenes
While speaking with reporters during Liverpool’s tour of the United States, Jota admitted feeling frustrated at being left on the bench during such a critical match as the quarter-finals. However, he chose not to delve deeper into this issue or criticize Portugal’s use of Ronaldo at Euro 2024.
Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota, said:
"I don't have much to say about it,”
“I think we could have gone all the way but we lost in the quarter-finals. I'm always ready to help my country. It wasn't required so you get that frustration from feeling that you could have helped.”
Speculations around Ronaldo's future
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently playing football in Saudi Arabia and will be well into his forties by World Cup 2026. This has led to speculation that Euro 2024 may have been his last international tournament. Despite these speculations and criticisms around Portugal's over-reliance on him, it is undeniable that Cristiano Ronaldo has been an integral part of Portuguese football for many years now.
Diogo Jota added:
"I am not sure about, I am not sure what he told about his last tournament, but he has been an inspiration for me since his early days, since I can remember.
"He is an icon and won the Ballon d’Or multiple times. He was a reference for me. I was glad to share a dressing room with him and learn everything I could for him. I will thank him for that."
Diogo Jota’s comments reflect a sense of frustration but also respect towards one of football’s greatest players - Cristiano Ronaldo. As fans eagerly await what lies ahead for both these talented players and their national team, it will be interesting to see how Portugal's strategy evolves in future tournaments.
