World Cup Story Feed
World Cup Story Feed
In the World Cup knockout stages, Ronaldo had previously played 8 matches totaling 570 minutes with zero goals. This string of numbers weighed on him more heavily than the Golden Balls in his cabinet. As of 2022, all 8 of his goals across five World Cups came in the group stage; once the knockout rounds turned fierce, he went silent. Tonight, he started and stepped up to the penalty spot in the 68th minute. He scored. The embarrassing record of 8 games and 570 minutes without a goal was wiped out by one penalty kick. He became the first player in history to score in six World Cups. The record was broken, but the match was far from dignified.
Cristiano Ronaldo had previously played 8 knockout matches in the World Cup, totaling 570 minutes, without scoring a single goal. This statistic weighed heavier on him than the Golden Balls in his cabinet. As of 2022, all eight of his World Cup goals across five tournaments came in the group stage; he went silent in the high-stakes knockout rounds. Tonight, he started, and in the 68th minute, he stood over the penalty spot. He scored. That 8-match, 570-minute debt was wiped clean by one penalty kick. He has now scored in six World Cups, the first player ever to do so. The record was broken, but the match was far from dignified.
In Toronto, during the Round of 32. Croatia struck first in the 53rd minute, with Perišić slotting home. Portugal had 60% possession, 15 shots, but only 3 on target. Croatia, on the other hand, had 6 shots on target. The expected goals (xG) were 2.18 to 1.34, favoring Portugal on paper, but the ball just wouldn't go in. They controlled possession like fingering prayer beads, chanting for ages without producing a goal. Croatia's 6 shots on target were all kept out by Diogo Costa's 5 saves, barely keeping Portugal alive. To be honest, this goalkeeper deserved the Man of the Match more than Ronaldo. Ronaldo himself scored one, but it was ruled out by VAR for offside.
In the 81st minute, the substitution board went up. Rúben Neves replaced Cristiano Ronaldo.
He walked off shaking his head, not even glancing at coach Martínez. No armband thrown, no muttering, just a shake of the head. A 41-year-old veteran expressing the greatest discontent with the smallest gesture.
He sat on the bench for 12 minutes. In the 93rd minute, Gonçalo Ramos headed the ball into the net from a cross by Leão, making it 2-1. Ronaldo jumped up from the bench to celebrate. Just 12 minutes earlier, he was sulking; 12 minutes later, he was roaring for someone else's goal. Those 12 minutes were probably the most awkward blank in his career.
Croatia had it worse. They scored three goals in the match, all wiped out by VAR, each offside by a hair's breadth. In stoppage time, Sučić had a shot, also ruled out. Four offsides, three goals disallowed. The Croatians put the ball in the net three times, only to have the machine scrutinize each one frame by frame and call them offside.
The substitution board lit up, and the public opinion exploded.
Kevin Diaz of RMC slammed the table on After Foot, calling Ronaldo's substitution "Portugal's highlight of this World Cup." He saw it clearly: Ronaldo couldn't last 90 minutes, let alone 120, and Martínez finally made the team bigger than the individual.
Piers Morgan lashed out on social media, calling BBC pundits "pathetic." Three Premier League legends—Warnock, Upson, and Walcott—criticized Ronaldo throughout the commentary, and Morgan defended him, feeling they were bullying a 41-year-old veteran.
Dave Portnoy of Barstool didn't take sides but cut to the chase: "A 41-year-old veteran being substituted in a World Cup knockout match at 80 minutes with the score tied makes it hard to take him seriously."
Diaz saw a turning point, Morgan saw injustice, and Portnoy saw reality. The public opinion arena, after all, is about taking what you need.
In the post-match interview zone, someone asked Ronaldo: Which hurt more, having your goal disallowed or being substituted?
His answer was subtle: "Not being in the starting lineup is more frustrating than having a goal disallowed or being substituted."
He didn't commit fully. When asked about his national team future, he only said, "I'll decide after the World Cup." His sister, Katia Aveiro, had already hinted that this would be his last major tournament. Both statements hung in the air, neither contradicting the other.
After the match, Ronaldo put on Jota's No. 21 jersey and walked around the pitch. The entire team wore commemorative wristbands. His eyes welled up, and he pointed to the sky, saying, "He is with us."
A year ago today, Jota passed away. 365 days later, Portugal stood on the World Cup knockout stage, carrying that day through an ugly but effective victory.
Next up in the Round of 16: Spain.