The Cristiano Ronaldo era with Portugal’s national team has reached a disappointing conclusion, marking the end of a storied career with a frustrating final act. Portugal’s Euro 2024 quarter-final exit at the hands of a lackluster France team was a painful watch, highlighting Ronaldo’s diminished impact on the pitch and raising questions about the team’s management.
Portugal’s elimination came after a 0-0 draw that led to a penalty shootout, where France emerged victorious with a 5-3 win. Ronaldo successfully converted his penalty, but it was not enough as Theo Hernandez scored the decisive spot-kick following Joao Felix’s miss. Despite the drama of the shootout, the match underscored a broader issue: Ronaldo’s decreasing effectiveness as he struggled to make a meaningful impact over the 120 minutes of play.
In fairness to Ronaldo, the defeat was not solely his fault. He scored his penalty in the shootout and showed moments of his legendary skill. However, throughout the match, he touched the ball only 40 times and extended his tournament tally of shots without a goal to a staggering 23. These statistics highlight the problem: Ronaldo, once the heartbeat of the team, had become more of a passenger on the field. A more decisive manager than Roberto Martinez might have substituted Ronaldo, who appeared increasingly ineffective.
Roberto Martinez’s decisions were particularly controversial. Despite Ronaldo’s limited impact, Martinez chose to substitute Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao, both of whom had been far more involved and threatening. Fernandes, who played a more advanced role, nearly broke the deadlock and was directly involved in creating most of Portugal’s chances. Leao, the team’s most menacing player, consistently troubled the French defense but was the first forward to be taken off. These substitutions baffled fans and analysts alike, as they seemed to weaken Portugal’s offensive capabilities at crucial moments.
Below are the player ratings from GOAL.com, reflecting the individual performances in a match where Martinez wasted an opportunity to capitalize on a talented but misused squad:
Goalkeeper & Defence
Diogo Costa (6.5/10): Portugal’s hero in the previous round was outperformed by Maignan and failed to save any penalties in the shootout.
Joao Cancelo (7/10): Limited in his usual attacking role due to Mbappe’s threat, but made a crucial pass to Fernandes and had a scoring opportunity.
Ruben Dias (8/10): Solid defensively and made a vital block to stop Kolo Muani.
Pepe (9/10): Delivered a defensive masterclass, recovering brilliantly from his previous shaky performance.
Nuno Mendes (7/10): Assured in both attack and defense, consistently composed under pressure.
Midfield
– *Vitinha (8/10):* Excellent in possession and defensively, although he missed a scoring opportunity from Leao’s cut-back.
– *Joao Palhinha (8/10):* Calm and effective in breaking up attacks, despite a controversial booking for a challenge on Mbappe.
– *Bruno Fernandes (7.5/10):* Active and nearly scored, but his substitution was surprising given his involvement in most of Portugal’s chances.
Attack
Bernardo Silva (7/10): Played deeper to help Cancelo deal with Mbappe, reducing his attacking threat but maintaining solid passing.
Cristiano Ronaldo (5/10): Frustrated by the lack of service and missed a crucial chance to score.
Rafael Leao (7.5/10): Portugal’s most dangerous player, consistently troubling the defense, but inexplicably substituted first.
_ Substitutes & Manager_
Nelson Semedo (7/10): Contributed effectively at right-back after coming on.
Francisco Conceicao (7/10): Drew a crucial foul and created a chance for Ronaldo.
Ruben Neves (6.5/10): Maintained simplicity and control after being introduced late in the match.
Joao Felix (4/10): Missed a key chance and his penalty, resulting in a disastrous cameo.
Matheus Nunes (N/A): Came on too late to make an impact.
-Roberto Martinez (3/10): His questionable substitutions and overreliance on Ronaldo marred his strategy. Despite Portugal arguably having better chances, his decisions led to a disappointing exit and damaged his reputation.
Conclusion
This elimination marks a bitter end to Ronaldo’s illustrious international career, overshadowed by a series of underwhelming performances and controversial managerial decisions. The final chapters of the Cristiano Ronaldo Show were a tough watch, tarnishing what had been a period of sustained excellence. As Portugal looks to the future, the challenge will be to rebuild and harness the potential of a talented squad that was, unfortunately, misused in their last major tournament under Ronaldo’s leadership.
