IMAGE: Bruno Fernandes consoles a dejected Cristiano Ronaldo as he walks off the field after regulation time. Photographs: Lee Smith/Reuters
‘Sadness at the start is joy at the end, that’s what football is,’ is how Cristiano Ronaldo described his roller-coaster showing in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 match against Slovakia on Monday, July 1, 2024.
The great Ronaldo was reduced to tears after missing a penalty in extra time that could have helped Portugal secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
At 39, Ronaldo would have become the oldest player to score in a European Championship if he had netted his extra-time penalty but he failed to beat the excellent Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Oblak and instead of relief came desperation.
Ronaldo broke into tears at the miss and had to be embraced and comforted by his team-mates.
Slovakia held on bravely in extra time to take 2016 Euro winners Portugal to the penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Ronaldo redeemed himself by converting the first penalty for Portugal with a low strike to Oblak’s right.
A relieved Ronaldo revealed later that he was ‘at rock bottom’ after missing the penalty.
‘Even the strongest people have their (bad) days. I was at rock bottom when the team needed me the most,’ Ronaldo said after the match before breaking into tears.
‘Sadness at the start is joy at the end. That’s what football is. Moments, inexplicable moments. I feel sad and happy at the same time.’
A look at Ronaldo’s thrilling evening in Frankfurt:
