UFC superstar Conor McGregor has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to be the top scorer at the European Championship and stands to win a significant sum if the Portuguese star delivers. Ronaldo, now competing in his sixth Euros, failed to score as Portugal narrowly secured a victory with a late goal from Francisco Conceicao against Czechia in their Euro 2024 opener.
Conor McGregor places bet on Cristiano Ronaldo for EURO 2024
Conor McGregor, known for his confidence both in and out of the octagon, shared a screen grab of his bet on Ronaldo on the social media platform X, writing: “60 G’s on @Cristiano to retain his Euro Golden Boot. Siuuu!” The exact currency of the bet is unclear, but regardless, it will be a substantial payday if Ronaldo manages to secure the top scorer title.
Ronaldo’s Portugal begin EURO 2024 campaign with win
Group F favourites Portugal found themselves trailing to a stunning strike from Lukas Provod in Leipzig. However, their lead was short-lived as an own-goal from Robin Hranac, resulting from some questionable goalkeeping by Czech stopper Jindrich Stanek, brought the game level.
In a dramatic finish, Portugal believed they had secured the win in the 87th minute when Diogo Jota scored, only for the goal to be disallowed by the semi-automated offside system. However, just three minutes later, Francisco Conceicao, the son of former Portuguese international Sergio Conceicao, scored the decisive goal. Conceicao’s late strike ensured Portugal’s victory, keeping their hopes alive in the tournament.
Ronaldo, aged 39, played the entire match for Roberto Martinez’s side and had several chances to score. However, his quest to score in a sixth successive Euros will continue as Portugal prepares to face Turkey in their second group game on Saturday.
Despite the potential windfall, McGregor, with an estimated net worth of $200 million, will not face financial hardship if the bet doesn’t pay off. Nonetheless, he will undoubtedly be hoping that the Al-Nassr star begins his goal-scoring campaign against Turkey in Dortmund, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
