'They’ve Been Trying To Kill Me For Years': Cristiano Ronaldo Hits Back At Critics, Says 'Not Even A Shotgun' Can Stop Him | Watch

Lisbon: Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo fired back at his critics, saying that they have been "trying to kill him, but they do not stand a chance even with a shotgun". He also highlighted his two goals: To win the UEFA Nations League and complete 1,000 professional football goals.

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Portugal, the defending champions, will start their UEFA Nations League campaign from Friday against Wales at Lisbon. Cristiano, who played his last FIFA World Cup this year and ended it on a heartbreaking note with a round of 16 exit at the hands of Spain, would continue giving services to the national side at the age of 41 as they build up towards the 2030 World Cup at home.

Speaking about his critics ahead of the match, as quoted by Goal.com, Cristiano said, "I cannot always be 100 per cent honest, sometimes I have to be politically correct. There are channels that have been trying to "kill" me for years, but they do not stand a chance, not even with a shotgun. And even then I dodge the bullet. I am used to it, I have been doing this job for 20 years: I know who I am, I know why children see me as a role model, and there will always be critics."

Cristiano added that the hate does not affect him and he is motivated to be still playing by the ones who still want him on the field.

"In any case, the fact that half a dozen people do not appreciate me does not affect me, I feel the affection of the Portuguese people. I am only thinking about the present... I know that many would like me to leave now, but my motivation comes from those who want to keep seeing me play," he added.

The legendary striker said that the Portugal Football Federation and coach Jorge Jesus are "counting on him" during what could be his last year in professional football, as he had claimed earlier.

"I know I can still offer a lot, not only with goals but also off the pitch. This could very well be my last year, but if it is I will announce it in due course," he added.

Cristiano, who sits at 979 professional goals for clubs and country, is optimistic about hitting the four-digit mark but is not obsessing over it.

"I will get to 1,000 goals. I will do it, but I am not making it an obsession; otherwise things never go the way we would like. I want to enjoy every day. I am sure I would not play all 90 minutes in these four matches," he said.

"My objective is twofold: to reach 1,000 goals and win the Nations League. It is a new era," he signed off. 

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)