DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo choked up with emotion as a result of the tears ran down his cheeks. He momentarily lined his face alongside together with his hand, nonetheless couldn’t cowl his disappointment.
This second was too huge.
It was most likely the ultimate World Cup match for the 37-year-old Ronaldo, and likely his remaining likelihood to win soccer’s largest prize.
When it mattered most, he couldn’t conjure up the type of soccer magic that has made him one in all many greatest players the sport has ever seen.
Ronaldo was dropped from the start lineup for the second straight match on Saturday. The five-time participant of the 12 months obtained right here on instead inside the second half alongside together with his group already trailing, nonetheless his one precise likelihood was saved just by the opposing goalkeeper. In the long term, Morocco beat the Portuguese 1-0 to show into the first African group to attain the occasion’s semifinals.
It was a tragic ending for Ronaldo on the day he made his 196th worldwide look, tied for most likely probably the most inside the males’s sport with Kuwait forward Badr Al-Mutawa. He leaves Qatar because the one participant to have scored in 5 World Cups nonetheless stays with eight targets on the occasion, one shy of Eusébio’s file with Portugal.
Ronaldo, the all-time primary scorer in males’s worldwide soccer with 118 targets, did not say one thing about his future after the match, going straight to the group bus from the locker room. He had said sooner than the World Cup he did not plan to retire from the nationwide group, and that he consider to play on the very least by the 2024 European Championship in Germany — eight years after he helped Portugal win its solely primary title at Euro 2016.
Ronaldo was first dropped to the bench inside the spherical of 16 in the direction of Switzerland, making an look instead. His various in that match, Gonçalo Ramos, scored a hat trick inside the 6-1 victory.
Ramos was as soon as extra chosen ahead of Ronaldo on Saturday.
“No regrets,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said of not starting Ronaldo. “Cristiano is an efficient participant, he obtained right here in as soon as we thought it was essential. We now haven’t any regret.”
After receiving the captain’s armband from Portugal defender Pepe inside the 51st minute, Ronaldo rushed onto the sphere and started encouraging his teammates. As time ran down, he raised his arms in the direction of the Portugal followers — carefully outnumbered by the Moroccans — and requested for his or her help.
Ronaldo helped improve the depth of a Portugal assault that struggled to get earlier the well-organized Moroccan safety. He immediately created an opportunity with a cross into the world, nonetheless then misplaced possession shortly afterward. He moreover organize a shot by João Félix inside the 82nd, nonetheless his teammate’s attempt was saved. Then Ronaldo had that last-gasp shot in stoppage time that on no account was an precise danger.
Ronaldo, who has on no account scored inside the knockout stage on the World Cup, quickly made his technique off the sphere after the final word whistle and was crying by the purpose he entered the tunnel heading into the locker rooms.
Some Moroccan players went to console him, nonetheless there have been no Portugal teammates shut by as he walked off. Most of them stayed on the sphere at Al Thumama Stadium and thanked the Portugal followers for his or her help.
Ronaldo fails as soon as extra in most likely remaining likelihood to win World Cup
By TALES AZZONI
yesterday
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after missing an opportunity to realize by way of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Morocco and Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (AP Image/Martin Meissner)
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after missing an opportunity to realize by way of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Morocco and Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (AP Image/Martin Meissner)
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo choked up with emotion as a result of the tears ran down his cheeks. He momentarily lined his face alongside together with his hand, nonetheless couldn’t cowl his disappointment.
This second was too huge.
It was most likely the ultimate World Cup match for the 37-year-old Ronaldo, and likely his remaining likelihood to win soccer’s largest prize.
When it mattered most, he couldn’t conjure up the type of soccer magic that has made him one in all many greatest players the sport has ever seen.
Ronaldo was dropped from the start lineup for the second straight match on Saturday. The five-time participant of the 12 months obtained right here on instead inside the second half alongside together with his group already trailing, nonetheless his one precise likelihood was saved just by the opposing goalkeeper. In the long term, Morocco beat the Portuguese 1-0 to show into the first African group to attain the occasion’s semifinals.
It was a tragic ending for Ronaldo on the day he made his 196th worldwide look, tied for most likely probably the most inside the males’s sport with Kuwait forward Badr Al-Mutawa. He leaves Qatar because the one participant to have scored in 5 World Cups nonetheless stays with eight targets on the occasion, one shy of Eusébio’s file with Portugal.
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Ronaldo, the all-time primary scorer in males’s worldwide soccer with 118 targets, did not say one thing about his future after the match, going straight to the group bus from the locker room. He had said sooner than the World Cup he did not plan to retire from the nationwide group, and that he consider to play on the very least by the 2024 European Championship in Germany — eight years after he helped Portugal win its solely primary title at Euro 2016.
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Ronaldo was first dropped to the bench inside the spherical of 16 in the direction of Switzerland, making an look instead. His various in that match, Gonçalo Ramos, scored a hat trick inside the 6-1 victory.
Ramos was as soon as extra chosen ahead of Ronaldo on Saturday.
“No regrets,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said of not starting Ronaldo. “Cristiano is an efficient participant, he obtained right here in as soon as we thought it was essential. We now haven’t any regret.”
After receiving the captain’s armband from Portugal defender Pepe inside the 51st minute, Ronaldo rushed onto the sphere and started encouraging his teammates. As time ran down, he raised his arms in the direction of the Portugal followers — carefully outnumbered by the Moroccans — and requested for his or her help.
Ronaldo helped improve the depth of a Portugal assault that struggled to get earlier the well-organized Moroccan safety. He immediately created an opportunity with a cross into the world, nonetheless then misplaced possession shortly afterward. He moreover organize a shot by João Félix inside the 82nd, nonetheless his teammate’s attempt was saved. Then Ronaldo had that last-gasp shot in stoppage time that on no account was an precise danger.
Ronaldo, who has on no account scored inside the knockout stage on the World Cup, quickly made his technique off the sphere after the final word whistle and was crying by the purpose he entered the tunnel heading into the locker rooms.
Some Moroccan players went to console him, nonetheless there have been no Portugal teammates shut by as he walked off. Most of them stayed on the sphere at Al Thumama Stadium and thanked the Portugal followers for his or her help.
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As Ronaldo obtained near the sideline, what gave the look to be a fan tried to get near him nonetheless was quickly taken away.
Santos then patted Ronaldo’s once more as he handed by, presumably for the ultimate time.
Ronaldo was uncared for of the start lineup in the direction of the Swiss after Santos expressed frustration about his group captain’s angle inside the earlier sport in the direction of South Korea. Santos later said Ronaldo was “not fully happy” to be suggested he was being benched, nonetheless on no account threatened to depart the World Cup because of the selection.
Ronaldo was coming off lackluster performances inside the group stage, though he scored inside the 3-2 win over Ghana to show into the first participant to realize in 5 World Cups. He has carried out in every model of the occasion since 2006.
The World Cup elimination caps a turbulent few weeks for Ronaldo, starting with an explosive interview with Piers Morgan and the fallout that ended with the termination of his contract at Manchester United and rumors of a switch to play for Saudi membership Al Nassr.