When Portugal and Wales ended up facing off in the Euro 2016 semi finals, it guaranteed at least one Real Madrid superstar in Sunday night’s final. But would it be Gareth Bale, or Cristiano Ronaldo?
Most of us will have supported Wales in Wednesday night’s clash, of course. They had won four games in 90 minutes at this tournament, as opposed to Portugal’s zero, and in Bale they possess a player as grounded and likeable as he is brilliant – pictures of him on the pitch with daughter Alba after the Northern Ireland win were incredibly endearing.
But instead it’s Ronaldo – also a doting father, lest we forget – taking to the pitch in Paris on Sunday night. There won’t be anywhere near as much positive feeling towards him as there would have been Bale, and I’m not sure why.
That’s not to in any way question our respect, even affection, for Bale – rather to ask why one of football’s greatest ever talents remains so unloved by the masses.
Why, when Ronaldo missed a penalty in the dire 0-0 draw with Austria in the group stage, did so many people take such pleasure in his failure?
It puzzles me no end. When Lionel Messi, for so long the hero to Ronaldo’s villain, missed in the recent Copa America final shootout against Chile, he provoked a seemingly global outpouring of grief – how could this little genius retire from international football having never won a major trophy with Argentina? Travesty!
Ronaldo first broke into the Portugal team of Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Deco and Pauleta – he played alongside them all in their Euro 2004 final defeat by Greece – but he has for the most part since carried a succession of underwhelming squads into major tournaments.
Yes, we’ve seen him throw his arms in the air in seemingly petulant frustration a million times during that time – at least 90 per cent of those in exasperation at poor decisions by Nani, I estimate – but never once has he wavered in his dedication, his commitment to his national team.
No one who has seen footage of him ordering Joao Moutinho to take a penalty against Poland last Thursday could ever question how strong a leader he can be, either. Moutinho, of course, scored.
Ronaldo, now 31, eclipsed Figo as Portugal’s most capped player at this tournament. He has 132, and 61 international goals to go with them.
Critics call him selfish, egotistical, dramatic, vain; whether true or not, he’s also determined, a remarkable physical specimen, crazily hard-working and, of course, one of the most talented footballers of this or any other generation.
So when Portugal face France on Sunday, I’ll be backing them because of and not despite Ronaldo. We have been very lucky to have him.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق