Legends ahead of ‘last dance’
Euro 2024 may be the last time we see these players.
“Five legends will probably play at Euro 2024 for the last time this summer,” soccer content production company SCORE 90 said on Monday (June 8), releasing a graphic image of the five players. Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer (Germany), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Luka Modric (Croatia) are all longtime international players.
Lewandowski is a self-proclaimed world-class striker. He”s been playing for Poland since 2008 and has 149 caps and 81 goals in his career. In Poland, he”s a national hero. Born in 1988, it”s likely that Euro 2024 will be the last time Lewandowski will play at the tournament. Recently, he”s been linked with a move to LA Galaxy.
Modric, the “soccer guru,” has been a key player in Croatia’s breakout season. He captained Croatia to a runner-up finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he won the Golden Ball. That year, he also won the Ballon d’Or, an award that was dominated by Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Modric led his country to the quarterfinals at the age of 37 and was awarded the Bronze Ball. Despite a career as colorful as Lewandowski“s, he hasn”t won an international trophy. At almost 40 years old, Modric is expected to extend his contract with Real Madrid over the summer.
Euro 2024 will be the last time ‘Professor’ Kroos will play for the national team. A member of the golden generation who helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he retired from the national team after Euro 2020. He was asked by head coach Julian Nagelsmann to return to the national team in March after Germany’s struggles at Euro 2024. Kroos 사설토토 lifted Germany’s spirits somewhat in March, with some of his best performances coming against France and the Netherlands during the A-match period. After Euro 2024, Kroos will retire from international football.
For world-class goalkeeper Neuer, this could also be his final tournament. Neuer has been in charge of the German goal for a long time. Neuer played a key role in Germany’s 2014 World Cup victory in Brazil, where he won the Golden Glove. He became the first German goalkeeper to join the Century Club and has 118 career A-match appearances. There have been recent local reports that Neuer is preparing to retire from international duty after this tournament.
Ronaldo has played in five Euros. His first was in 2004, and he will be making his sixth appearance at Euro 2024. Ronaldo also led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title. Given that he“s approaching 40, it”s likely that Euro 2024 will be Ronaldo”s last Euro appearance. “I’m proud to be back with the Portuguese national team,” he said on social media after the roster was announced.