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Ronaldo may not quit after WC 2006
Ronaldo said Friday that he is not planning to leave the Brazilian national squad after the 2006 World Cup.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:54 AM IST
Read Time: 2 min
Sao Paulo:
Ronaldo said Friday that he is not planning to leave the Brazilian national squad after the 2006 World Cup.
"I can't predict the future, but my intention is to stay in the national team until the end of my career," Ronaldo told the local Globo TV during Real Madrid's tour in Beijing.
"The national team is part of my life, just like soccer is."
Ronaldo confirmed, however, that he has began thinking about retirement.
"It's time to start thinking about when to stop playing soccer, and consequently when to stop playing for the national squad," Ronaldo said.
"But I haven't decided anything yet."
Ronaldo will be 29 years old when he tries to win his third World Cup title next year in Germany, in 33 in the 2010 Cup in South Africa.
"There's still one year to go to the (next) Cup," he said. "I just want to prepare myself to arrive in Germany in top form."
Ronaldo was released from the Confederations Cup roster in June after saying he needed a rest following the Spanish league season and that it would be his only break before the 2006 World Cup.
Although Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said at the time that no one was irreplaceable and that fatigue was no excuse for missing the tournament, he later confirmed that Ronaldo will return to Brazil's roster in future matches.
The striker has said that he'll have to fight hard to maintain his starting spot on the team, however. (AP)
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