Ronaldo chokes up as sobering reality hits

1 year ago 95

Cristiano Ronaldo choked up with emotion arsenic the tears ran down his cheeks. He momentarily covered his look with his hand, but couldn't fell his disappointment.

This infinitesimal was excessively big.

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It was apt the past World Cup lucifer for the 37-year-old Ronaldo, and astir apt his past accidental to triumph football's biggest prize.

When it mattered most, helium couldn't conjure up the benignant of shot magic that has made him 1 of the top players the athletics has ever seen.

Ronaldo was dropped from the starting line-up for the 2nd consecutive lucifer against Morocco.

The five-time subordinate of the twelvemonth came connected arsenic a substitute successful the 2nd fractional with his squad already trailing, but his 1 existent accidental was saved easy by the opposing goalkeeper. In the end, Morocco bushed the Portuguese 1-0 to go the archetypal African squad to scope the tournament's semi-finals.

It was a bittersweet ending for Ronaldo connected the time helium made his 196th planetary appearance, tied for the astir successful the men's crippled with Kuwait guardant Badr Al-Mutawa.

He leaves Qatar arsenic the lone subordinate to person scored successful 5 World Cups but remains with 8 goals astatine the tournament, 1 shy of Eusébio’s grounds with Portugal.

Ronaldo, the all-time starring scorer successful men’s planetary shot with 118 goals, did not accidental thing astir his aboriginal aft the match, going consecutive to the squad autobus from the locker room. He had said earlier the World Cup helium did not program to discontinue from the nationalist team, and that helium planned to play astatine slightest done the 2024 European Championship successful Germany — 8 years aft helium helped Portugal triumph its lone large rubric astatine Euro 2016.

Ronaldo was archetypal dropped to the seat successful the circular of 16 against Switzerland, making an quality arsenic a substitute. His replacement successful that match, Gonçalo Ramos, scored a chapeau instrumentality successful the 6-1 victory.

Ramos was again selected up of Ronaldo this greeting AEDT.

“No regrets,” Portugal manager Fernando Santos said of not starting Ronaldo. “Cristiano is simply a large player, helium came successful erstwhile we thought it was necessary. We person nary regret.”

After receiving the captain’s armband from Portugal defender Pepe successful the 51st minute, Ronaldo rushed onto the tract and started encouraging his teammates. As clip ran down, helium raised his arms toward the Portugal fans — heavy outnumbered by the Moroccans — and asked for their support.

Moroccan prima dances with mum aft World Cup upset win

Ronaldo helped summation the strength of a Portugal onslaught that struggled to get past the well-organised Moroccan defense. He instantly created an accidental with a transverse into the area, but past mislaid possession soon afterward. He besides acceptable up a changeable by João Félix successful the 82nd, but his teammate’s effort was saved. Then Ronaldo had that last-gasp changeable successful stoppage clip that ne'er was a existent threat.

Ronaldo, who has ne'er scored successful the knockout signifier astatine the World Cup, rapidly made his mode disconnected the tract aft the last whistle and was crying by the clip helium entered the passageway heading into the locker rooms.

Some Moroccan players went to console him, but determination were nary Portugal teammates adjacent arsenic helium walked off. Most of them stayed connected the tract astatine Al Thumama Stadium and thanked the Portugal fans for their support.

As Ronaldo got adjacent the sideline, what appeared to beryllium a instrumentality tried to get adjacent him but was rapidly taken away.

Towering header puts Morocco successful semi-finals

Santos past patted Ronaldo's backmost arsenic helium passed by, perchance for the past time.

Ronaldo was near retired of the starting lineup against the Swiss aft Santos expressed vexation astir his squad captain’s cognition successful the erstwhile crippled against South Korea. Santos aboriginal said Ronaldo was “not happy” to beryllium told helium was being benched, but ne'er threatened to permission the World Cup due to the fact that of the decision.

Ronaldo was coming disconnected lacklustre performances successful the radical stage, though helium scored successful the 3-2 triumph implicit Ghana to go the archetypal subordinate to people successful 5 World Cups. He has played successful each variation of the tourney since 2006.

The World Cup elimination caps a turbulent fewer weeks for Ronaldo, starting with an explosive interrogation with Piers Morgan and the fallout that ended with the termination of his declaration astatine Manchester United and rumors of a determination to play for Saudi nine Al Nassr.

Portugal was trying to marque it to the World Cup semi-finals for the 3rd time, having finished 3rd successful 1966 and 4th successful 2006. The squad hadn't gotten past the circular of 16 since that tourney successful Germany 16 years ago.

The adjacent accidental to triumph the aureate trophy volition travel successful 4 years astatine the 2026 World Cup successful North America, but it volition apt beryllium without Ronaldo connected the team.

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