Portugal advanced to the current Euro 2024 quarterfinals after defeating Slovenia 3-0 on penalties following extra time.
Throughout the 121-minute "dramatic night," Slovenia and Portugal squander numerous chances to conclude the match in regular time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of the Portugal national team, sobbed when Slovenian custodian Oblak saved his own penalty kick, which gave his team the lead at halftime.
The drama didn't finish there, as a few minutes later, Slovenia had a one-on-one opportunity to score but played the ball wide, allowing Portugal custodian Diogo Costa to save it.
Slovenia missed all of its kicks in the shootout, while Portugal made all of its kicks.
The renowned forward surely suffered for his country's sake, wanting to make the last-16 match all about him.
Cristiano Ronaldo left spectators in the stadium and beyond completely perplexed with his performance against Slovenia on Monday. The Portugal captain, the star of his own one-man show, turned Frankfurt's Waldstadion into the setting for his melodrama in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
Having been ineffective in open play against Slovenia's resilient defenders and low block, the 39-year-old resorted to peppering their goal with a variety of absurd free kicks while controlling every set-piece his team was awarded. After 90 minutes of frustration, Ronaldo's long-awaited, magical opportunity eventually materialised from the penalty spot in the first half.
fighting primary character
Regardless of the result—hero or villain—it appears Ronaldo was determined to make Monday all about him. Although his histrionics, in which he screams at himself in self-motivation and aims spluttering fits of frustration at his teammates and the referee, are nothing new to us, this display had an especially desperate quality to it as he sought to appease his critics and make up for the mistakes of his tournament thus far.
Ronaldo's absurd drive to take every free kick that Portugal was handed, regardless of how far away it was—30, 40, or 50 yards—summed up his desperation. Ronaldo was having it and he was shooting. Towards the end of the first half, his most ridiculous attempt occurred when he aimed at the set-piece from an absurdly close angle, not too far from the corner flag, and blew it miles wide. Not only was there no genuine apology to be found, but even more worryingly, it appeared that his fellow countrymen didn't anticipate one.
However, the veteran did come close on a couple of additional dead-ball tries, one of which went just over the crossbar and the other of which Oblak beat away. The Slovenian custodian also made a good save when he was played through late in the game.
if his major tournament goal drought (eight games) continues, Portugal's labouring talisman has tried more attempts at Euro 2024 than any other player (20) without scoring. This is true even if his xG (expected goals) is 2.96. He has only made a net one free kick out of sixty attempted at significant competitions; at the Euros, he scored more direct free kicks than any other player since statistics were kept in 1980.
The image of Ronaldo sobbing hysterically throughout extra time while attempting to process his missed penalty could end up being remembered as one of the most iconic moments from any European Championship, not just Euro 2024.
His teammates attempted to comfort and refocus their captain: Bruno Fernandes whispered some wise words in his ear, Joao Palhinha delivered a stern word, and Diogo Dalot gave him a kiss. It was quite shocking, though, to witness the man, who was regarded as the best Portuguese and probably even European player of all time, breaking down in tears.
Just when it seems that he would have the last word, he squandered his penalty in the opening half of extra time (really, it was more of a spectacular save by Oblak).
