On the stage of the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 in Germany, a football legend is unfolding. This time, the 39-year-old football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo did not attract attention for his wonderful goal, but his tears tugged at the heartstrings of the audience.
At dawn on 2 July, the Frankfurt Arena witnessed a breathtaking contest. The strong Portuguese team and the unknown Slovenian team launched an unexpectedly fierce matchup, staging a "David vs. Goliath" on the football field.
At the beginning of the game, the Portuguese team showed a strong attack. Cristiano Ronaldo has tried to break through several times, but has been repeatedly frustrated. In the 31st minute, Ronaldo's header was easily defused by Oblak. Subsequently, Ronaldo took several free kicks, but failed to find the back of the net. Portugal's attack was like a blunt knife, struggling to tear through the Slovenian defence.
Although Portugal continued to attack aggressively in the second half, Slovenia's impregnable defense remained unmoved, locking the score firmly at 0-0 and forcing the two sides into extra-time.
At the last moment of the decisive battle, a twist of fate quietly came. In the 103rd minute, Jota fell to the ground, the whistle blew, penalty! The audience held their breath and all eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar faced the goal with composure, took a deep breath, sprinted, and got to his feet! However, Oblak seems to be superman, keeping the hope of victory in his own hands with an incredible save!
Ronaldo fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. This scene shook everyone. What we see is not only the fragile side of a great player, but also his desire to win and his self-reproach for mistakes.
At the end of extra time, the score was still 0-0. The game went to a penalty shootout.
In the penalty shoot-out, Ronaldo stepped up first. He steadied the ball into the net, as if to clean up his previous mistakes with this goal. Then, Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa put on an amazing performance, saving three penalties in a row! In the end, Portugal won the penalty shootout with a score of 3-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals.
This game left us with too much to think about. It proves once again that the charm of football lies in its unpredictability. The fact that the world's No. 6 Portugal team was cornered by Slovenia shows us the tenacity of the weak team and the pressure of the strong team.
Cristiano Ronaldo's performance has sparked a discussion about the aura of the star. At 39, he's still at the heart of the team, but are the effects of age already starting to felt? Does his sluggish performance in regulation time and penalty errors in extra-time mean we need to revisit his place in the team?
Cristiano Ronaldo's performance in the penalty shoot-out once again showed his mental qualities. He has been able to stand up and take responsibility for the team after a huge setback, and that spirit deserves our respect.
This game also showed us the importance of team spirit. The comfort and support of his team-mates after Cristiano Ronaldo's mistake and goalkeeper Costa's brilliant performance in the penalty shoot-out all showed that football is a collective sport.
For Portugal, the win was hard-won. They will face a strong French team in the next round and it will be an even tougher match. They need to learn from this game and adjust their form to have a better performance in the next games.
For Cristiano Ronaldo personally, this game could be a turning point. He will need to face the challenges of age and adjust his role in the team. But at the same time, his experience and leadership remain an indispensable asset to the team.
As fans, we had the privilege of witnessing this wonderful game. It's not just a football game, it's a great story about humanity, teamwork, and never giving up. Let's look forward to seeing more exciting moments in the next games.
Thanks for reading!