After a few days of much deserved rest following “La Decima” — the 10th UEFA Champions League title — on Saturday in Lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the Portuguese capital to join the rest of the national squad that will take on Greece in a friendly, in preparation for next month’s World Cup in Brazil.
Ronaldo, Pepe, and Fabio Coentrao were the last three players to come to training camp in Óbidos, Portugal, and they complete the 23-men squad that will compete in the World Cup.
The trio were granted a few extra days to recover from the 4-1 UCL victory against Atletico Madrid on Saturday, and all the celebration that followed in the Spanish capital, but after some R&R, it’s time for to get to work.
Relaxing time. pic.twitter.com/raVxPbnQoV
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) May 28, 2014
Cristiano Ronaldo is still nursing an injured thigh, which prevented him from playing in the last game of the La Liga season, much to disappointment of Real Madrid fans. Atletico ended taking the title for the first time since 1995/1996 season.
The 29-year-old mega star was not expected to take part in the Thursday afternoon practice and is doubtful for the Greece match on Saturday at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
Óbidos is a sleepy little town of 3,100 located about an hour north of the Portuguese capital, but that didn’t prevent Ronaldo fans to line up and try to get some autographs from their favorite star.
. @Cristiano arrives at Portugal National team Hotel (1) pic.twitter.com/R8s0xIAFla
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@CRonaldoArabia) May 29, 2014
According to a report released by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) Ronaldo took part in a rehab session at the team’s hotel, working on his ailing thigh.
The Portuguese captain has admitted that he was not 100 percent during the dramatic 120-minutes of the UEFA Champions League final due to his nagging problem, which has plagued him all throughout the last few weeks of La Liga, and forced Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti to do without Ronaldo in a couple of crucial matches.
Portugal will be competing in Group G — dubbed the “Group of Death” — against Germany, the US, and Ghana, and is expected to move on to the round of 16, but nothing is sure in football and Cristiano Ronaldo’s every move will be watched by millions all over the globe.
Ronaldo has never won a FIFA World Cup title , but now that he has the UEFA Champions League cup under his belt, he dreams of bringing the daddy of all trophies home to Lisbon.
[Image via Rui Alexandre Araujo / Shutterstock.com ]
