"That's the price to pay for a player like Ronaldo," midfielder Bernardo Silva once shared after being asked about the incident where 6 fans broke through security barriers and rushed onto the field during the Portugal vs Türkiye match just to approach Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was unhappy when he was substituted in the match against Georgia
Silva is right! Ronaldo is always the center of attention, attracting both the limelight and annoying controversy. After being praised for his assist for Bruno Fernandes in the match against Turkey, Ronaldo was criticized for his attitude in the match against Georgia. The press used the word "out of control" to describe the 39-year-old striker when he argued with referee Sandro Schaerer to demand a penalty, then angrily kicked a water bottle when coach Roberto Martinez took him off the field in the 66th minute.
Referee Schaerer and VAR were criticized for not awarding a penalty when Ronaldo was pulled down, but the Portuguese superstar himself could not escape criticism for his lack of restraint. Especially in a match where Ronaldo was lackluster, ending the EURO group stage with 0 goals for the first time.
The anger on the sidelines shows that at 39 years old, Ronaldo is still full of ambition. However, the 3 group stage matches showed that the Al-Nassr striker no longer has the strength and speed of his peak.
Ronaldo is favored not to participate in the ball development phase, but only focuses on the final situations (assist or score). The 39-year-old striker is still very useful with his experience, bravery, ability to run and finish superior to the rest of Portugal. Coach Martinez himself understands the value of Ronaldo and treats him better than Fernando Santos - who put CR7 on the bench in Portugal's last two matches at the 2022 World Cup. The move to replace Ronaldo in the 66th minute not only paved the way for Portugal to find a new attacking plan, but he also wanted to keep his student. On the other hand, it could also be a hidden message: no one is untouchable, including Ronaldo.
European football has passed the era of stars carrying the team, when Italy (2020), Spain (2008, 2012), Greece (2004), France (2000) or Portugal (2016) all won thanks to collective strength rather than individual superiority. The fact that no player has scored more than 3 goals in the group stage of EURO 2024, or the miracles of Slovenia, Georgia, and Austria, has affirmed the above point of view. A team with solidarity, a clear playing style and promoting collective spirit will go further than teams consisting of only scattered individuals. Many "egos" at EURO 2024 are ready to sacrifice to serve the team. Ronaldo is unlikely to be an exception, even though he is the best player in the past 20 years in this playground.
20 years since his EURO debut, Ronaldo is still very determined. However, the 39-year-old superstar needs to put all his energy into the match, instead of "regretting" a few dozen minutes in the match where Portugal lost and still won the group. After a career moving forward, now is the time for Ronaldo to accept stepping back.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bo-dao-nha-can-ronaldo-chap-nhan-lui-ve-sau-185240627221027828.htm
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