Frankfurt, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo has so often been Portugal's saviour that potentially becoming the villain brought him to tears. The 39-year-old superstar was shown crying after missing an 105th minute penalty in the Selecao's Euro 2024 last-16 victory over Slovenia on Monday. Despite multiple attempts at goal and then Jan Oblak saving his spot kick, Ronaldo could not pierce Slovenia's sturdy defensive wall and eventually the match finished goalless across 120 minutes, leading to penalties.
Taking Portugal's first spot kick, this time the former Real Madrid hitman did find the net and his team triumphed 3-0 on penalties after Diogo Costa saved all three Slovenia efforts. Ronaldo is now on a redemption trail and his side face France next in a rematch of the 2016 final which Portugal won in Paris to clinch their first ever European Championship. Eight years ago Ronaldo was not the hero either, going off early with an injury and seeing the lesser-known Eder striking in extra-time to defeat Les Bleus.
Without a goal to his name at the Euros, the all-time men's leading international goalscorer with 130 strikes has at times appeared desperate. "I will always do my best for this shirt, whether I fail or not, and I'm going to do this my whole life," Ronaldo told Portuguese television channel RTP. "I've been doing this for 20 years -- as you saw I missed the penalty, but I wanted to be the first to score.
"We have to take responsibility...
you can't be afraid, I've never been af.
