by sportswriters Xiao Shiyao and Xiao Yazhuo
FRANKFURT, Germany, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Cristiano Ronaldo cried at night in Frankfurt, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner weeping like a child who had made a mistake.
In the 105th minute of extra time of the round of 16 match against Slovenia, facing Jan Oblak, Ronaldo missed a crucial penalty. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of fans and countless cameras, the player known for his composure couldn't hold back his emotions, lowering his head and tears streaming down his face.
These were tears of self-reproach. For 20 years, Ronaldo has carried, at least tried to carry, the fate of the national team on his shoulders. But that night, he almost ended his team's Euro 2024 journey due to his mistake.
These were tears of sorrow. It wasn't Ronaldo's night. Despite eight attempts, with foot or head, he failed to score his first goal of this year's tournament. Time after time, he leaped high for his trademark headers, only to narrowly miss. His legs are no longer as strong as they once were.
Despite his greatness, resilience, and pride, the 39-year-old veteran can't escape the erosion of time.
Luckily, time has also left behind his past glories and fond memories.
When Ronaldo missed his penalty, the entire stadium of Portuguese fans chanted "Viva Ronaldo", encouraging their hero. There was no blame, for they remembered the joy and glory he had brought them.
When Ronaldo buried his face in tears, his Portuguese teammates came forward to comfort their captain with hugs. There was no blame, for they knew how many times this man had saved the team.
This time, Ronaldo didn't have to carry everything alone. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa stepped up, saving a one-on-one in the second half of extra time and then three penalties in the shootout, leading Portugal to a narrow victory.
"This was the best I could do to help the team," Costa said.
Costa was born in 1999. At five, he watched Ronaldo shine in his first European Championship, reaching the final. At 13, he saw Ronaldo lead the team to a penalty shootout in the semifinals against world champions Spain. At 17, he witnessed Ronaldo lift Portugal's first European Championship trophy.
This generation of Portuguese players grew up with Ronaldo's stories and have now become the backbone of the team. Now, it's the sailors' turn to bring the old captain to shore.
In the penalty shootout, Ronaldo finally had a chance for redemption. Under the immense pressure of his earlier miss, he was the first to step up. Facing Oblak again, he paused, ran up, and sent the ball into the corner of the net. Ronaldo walked towards the Portuguese fans' stand, hands together, apologizing.
"I always give my best for this shirt, whether I fail or not. I'll do this my whole life. I missed the penalty, but I still wanted to be the first to score. When you owe the team, you must take responsibility. I've never been afraid to face challenges. Sometimes I get it wrong, but you'll never hear me say I give up," Ronaldo said after the match.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez marvelled: "Ronaldo played a decisive role in the shootout. He led us. He is our captain, showing us that even when life is difficult and things don't go well, we must never give up."
When the final whistle blew, Ronaldo didn't rush out to celebrate like his teammates. He raised his arms and let out a sigh of relief. Finally, Ronaldo smiled.
"From initial sorrow to ultimate joy, that's what football gives you," he said.
"This is certainly my last European Championship, but I'm not emotional about leaving football. What's most important in this journey is that I still have the passion to be here. I've played for the national team for 20 years. I want to bring joy to everyone, my family, and my children. That's what motivates me the most."
As the player with the most appearances, goals, and assists in European Championship history, Ronaldo has nothing left to prove.
Some say every professional athlete faces two deaths: one when their natural life ends, and another when their career ends. This is how Ronaldo faces "death" - with utmost passion, fighting until the last moment. ■
