The European Football Association (UEFA) European Football Championship (Euro 2024) quarterfinals could have been the greatest match of all time, but it wasn’t because of Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, it has been claimed.
They called him a “black hole” and accused him of ruining the game.
Portugal’s Euro 2024 quarterfinal match against France at the Falksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany on Saturday (June 6) ended on penalties.
The teams battled through 120 minutes of extra time, but neither side scored a goal, heading into the penalty shootout at 0-0. It was billed as the biggest match of Euro 2024, and while the names of the players on both sides were huge, the performance was not.
The penalty shootout was decided when Portugal’s third kicker, João Felix, hit the post. France converted all five of their kickers to win 5-3 on penalty kicks.
France and Portugal were both pre-tournament favorites to win the tournament, and while Portugal may lose to France, there has been a lot of criticism directed at Ronaldo.
Ronaldo has repeatedly failed to capitalize on the opportunities that have come his way this tournament, starting all five games and finishing the tournament in humiliating fashion without scoring a single goal. In the round of 16 against Slovenia, he was reduced to tears after missing a penalty.
In this match, there was a decisive chance. Ronaldo had a crucial chance in the second minute of extra time when Diogo Jota broke down the right flank and played a cutback pass to Ronaldo in the center of the box, where he could have slotted the ball into the back of the net, but his shot sailed high into the air like a ‘Romelu Lukaku’. Ronaldo shook his head after the game.
The British publication The Guardian was harsh in its criticism of Ronaldo. “This could have been the greatest Euro 2024 quarterfinal ever, but some of it has been stolen,” they wrote, “Ronaldo is like a black hole in this game, sucking everything into its vortex. Portugal’s talented players disappear into the black hole because of him.”
“France know how to play even if they take their captain Kylian Mbappe off as a substitute, but Portugal seem to be married to their captain, Ronaldo,” the media outlet continued, “His presence is like a chain that will bring Portugal down. It’s hard not to resent him,” he added.
The same was true of Felix’s penalty miss. As captain, Ronaldo did not appease his teammate. “The Portuguese players instinctively rushed to the heartbroken Felix,” the outlet explained, “but one man didn’t run to Felix, he walked in the other direction, following the camera’s gaze. That man was Ronaldo.”
Ronaldo ended his sixth Euro without scoring and facing criticism. He is the all-time leading scorer in A-matches, with 130 goals in 212 appearances, but his international performances have been disappointing. Unlike rival Lionel Messi, who 먹튀검증업체 순위 was named the World Cup’s Most Valuable Player and led his team to victory, Ronaldo has never been named the tournament’s best player for his country.
His record explains why. Ronaldo has scored just three goals in the World Cup and Euro tournaments. He scored three goals in 21 appearances and none in the World Cup. Even at Euro 2016, which Portugal won, the tournament’s player of the tournament went to Antoine Griezmann of France, who finished runner-up.
This tournament was his worst. Despite missing a penalty, he was in charge of all the free kicks, but not many of them went near the goal. Many pundits doubted his ability to take free kicks.
His shots have also been less accurate. According to soccer statistics outlet Opta, Ronaldo has 23 shots in five games at the tournament, the most of any player at Euro 2024. His expected goals (xG) is also 3.5, but he hasn’t scored.
Ronaldo’s sixth Euro ended with a lot of criticism directed at him. It’s unclear if he’ll play in the next major tournament, the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America. But if his slump continues, even if he wants to play, Portugal should be bold enough to leave him out. Otherwise, Portugal will struggle to reach the heights.