Julius OkoriePortugal talisman and Al Nassr forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, is full of excitement following FIFA confirmation of his country as co-host of the 2030 world Cup.
Although Portugal had been penciled down as one of the World Cup hosts for the 2030 edition, the confirmation finally came as the world soccer ruling body made the decision public via its website and official X handle on Wednesday.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelFIFA did not stop there as it also revealed Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 World Cup, thus making the dream of the oil reach country to host the world cup come true.
The announcement read: “Introducing the hosts for the next two editions of the @FIFAWorldCup!
“Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host in 2030, with centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
“Four years later, Saudi Arabia will host the FIFA World Cup 2034™.”
Ronaldo, who has always been a pillar of some sort for the Portugal team, has contributed in no small measure to the successes recorded by the country in the round leather game.
Reacting to the development via his social media page, the Portugal national men’s team captain and five-time Ballon d’Or winner wrote: “A dream come true. Portugal will host the 2030 World Cup and fill us with pride. Together!”
READ ALSO :Ronaldo Sets Another Record Of First Player To Score 900 Goals
Ronaldo’s enthusiasm for the upcoming World Cup on home turf is understandable, yet there remains ongoing speculation regarding whether the football legend—who will reach 40 in February 2025 might prolong his remarkable career to compete in the tournament at 45.
Despite his current playing status, Ronaldo’s influence on Portuguese football continues to motivate fans around the globe.
It is worth noting that the previous FIFA World Cup in 2022 witnessed Ronaldo’s long-standing rival, Lionel Messi, guiding Argentina to a momentous victory, further cementing his reputation as one of the all-time greats in football.
For Ronaldo, the World Cup trophy remains one of the few significant honours absent from his illustrious career, which boasts numerous Champions League titles, a European Championship triumph with Portugal in 2016, and a record-tying five Ballon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo who has set and broken many records in the course of his football career will perhaps break another should he feature in the world cup on home soil in 2030.
He will at that point be breaking the record of Cameroon international Roger Milla who scored for Cameroon at the age of 42 years and 39 days in the 1994 FIFA World Cup if he scores, and will also equal the record of Essam El-Hadary, goal keeper who featured for Egypt against Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the age of 45 years, five months and 10 days.
Voting to decide the hosts saw Football federations participate remotely in an online meeting convened in Zurich by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
FIFA and Saudi representatives have asserted that hosting the 2034 tournament could promote progress, including enhanced freedoms and rights for women. Infantino stated on Wednesday that the World Cup serves as a “unique catalyst for positive social change and unity.”
“I fully trust our hosts to address all open points in this process, and deliver a World Cup that meets the world’s expectations,” the FIFA president said.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
