Portugal may have a chance of being led by Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 5 to 21, 2016.
Ronaldo, 30, accomplished a number of astonishing feats but has yet to garner a major championship on the international stage. He will have a chance to capture an international title if the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) selects him as one of the overage players to join the national squad for the Summer Olympics next year.
According to ESPN, Olympic rules allow each country to select three players born before January 1, 1993 to be included in their squads.The Summer Olympics football tournament will be held from August 3 to 20.
Once Ronaldo is selected, he will also represent Portugal at the Euro 2016 from June 10 to July 10 before the team heads for the Olympics.
FPF chief Fernando Gomes told Globo Esporte that including Ronaldo in the lineup for the 2016 Olympics remained an option for them. "It is a possibility. We can bring three players aged over 23. Cristiano is one of those being considered, but we have not yet sat down to discuss it," Fernando said.
A Portugal with Ronaldo will be great for the nation, but it will surely hinder the Real star from participating in other football-related activities. Injuries will also be a factor since Ronaldo has been facing health woes in the past few months.
ESPN reported that Ronaldo's participation in the Olympics meant he would be absent from Real Madrid's preseason tour, and if Portugal would make it to the gold medal game, he would likely miss the start of the 2016-17 La Liga season.
There is a huge possibility that Real Madrid will not allow Ronaldo to play for his national squad because of conflict of schedule and the risk of injury.
