New footage shows Ruben Dias run length of pitch to console Cristiano Ronaldo while Diogo Dalot puts arm around him
07/02/2024 06:58 AM
Ruben Dias ran the length of the pitch to console Cristiano Ronaldo, who was in tears at missing his penalty against Slovenia.
The captain was devastated that his miss in extra-time may have cost his country a place in the quarter-finals and Man City defender Dias wanted to keep his focused.
Fan footage shows the Man City stopper run from the halfway line to console Ronaldo, the first one of his teammates to gee up the 39-year-old as the match carried on around them.
Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot then put an arm around his former club mate as he struggled to contain his emotions after the final whistle of extra-time.
Ronaldo, who is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has won pretty much everything in the game, holds numerous records at club and international level, but the competitor in him is still there.
He had an immediate chance to make amends moments later as he scored in the shootout.
Goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved all three Slovenia penalties and Portugal won 3-0 to book their place in the quarter-finals.
“Even the strongest people have their (bad) days,” Ronaldo told reporters after the game.
“I was at rock bottom when the team needed me most. I was sad at first but now I’m happy.
“That’s what football is. Moments, inexplicable moments.”
Asked about his outpouring of emotions during the match, Ronaldo replied: “When I think of my family, I feel emotional because they are unique moments that I cannot express in words.
“They are people I love, the fans who are always with us and especially with me, and I am very happy about that.
“I hadn’t missed a penalty kick all year. At this moment I missed it, but the most important thing is that the team won.
“I lost twice on penalties this season and won the third time. Sometimes football is fair and sometimes just, but we we deserved to qualify.
“I will always give my best for this shirt, whether I fail or not, but you have to take responsibility when the team has to.
“I have never been afraid to face things head on. Sometimes I do things right, sometimes I don’t, but giving up is something you will never hear from me.”
Head coach Roberto Martinez hailed Ronaldo’s resilience after Oblak had denied him in extra time with a magnificent penalty save.
Martinez said: “He’s a constant example for us. Those emotions are incredible because he’s won everything and experienced experienced everything.
“He doesn’t need to care that much and that’s why I thank him for being the way he is, for caring for the group, for being someone after missing a penalty that he was the first penalty taker (in the shoot-out).
“I was certain he had to be the first penalty-taker and show us the way to the victory.”
While some have questioned whether Ronaldo should have shown his emotions, Everton striker Neal Maupay said it shouldn’t matter.
"There's no shame in crying," Maupay told talkSPORT, which may surprise some readers and listeners given his tendency to wind up opponents.
"Sometimes it annoys me – football fans want players to be normal people. They say 'they are superstars, they don't care about the world we live in'.
“Then, when arguably the biggest player in football history, cries on the pitch because he's got emotions everyone is on him. I don't really get that.
"It's normal, he missed a penalty and at the time he maybe thought we might get knocked out because of me.
"He cried, and I loved that personally so I don't really get the hate."
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