Cristiano Ronaldo makes unwanted history at Euro 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Barely 30 seconds into the second half against Georgia, Portugal had a corner kick after a Francisco Conceicao shot was deflected. The set piece evaded at least five Georgian defenders and found Cristiano Ronaldo in prime position to convert from close range. Ronaldo would miss the bunny (at least by his standards) and have his shot deflected over the bar.
The missed opportunity was one of 12 shots on target that Ronaldo had missed in Euro 2024, including an earlier free-kick on Wednesday from his beloved left wing. By finishing the group stage with zero goals, the Portuguese icon created some unwanted history for himself in the final leg of his career.
Ronaldo's frustrations were only amplified when he received a yellow card for arguing with a referee after he felt Georgian center-back Luka Lochoshvili grabbed his shirt in the 18-yard box.
By the 67th minute, Portugal coach Roberto Martinez had seen enough, subbing out Ronaldo for Goncalo Ramos. The decision upset Ronaldo, who could be seen kicking a water bottle near the dugout after the substitution. In Martinez's defense, Portugal had already advanced to the Round of 16 following their wins over Turkey and Czechia, and the outcome of Wednesday's game was insignificant.
Yet, Portugal's stunning 2-0 loss to Georgia — the biggest upset in Euros history by FIFA rankings —marked the country's first competitive defeat since the 2022 World Cup quarterfinal loss to Morocco and coach Martinez's first major loss in charge of A Selecao.
Ronaldo will resume his hunt for his first Euro 2024 goal when Portugal faces Slovenia in the Round of 16 on Monday. The Portuguese find themselves in a difficult bracket that includes powerhouses such as Spain, France, Germany and Belgium.
Want more articles like this? Follow Yardbarker on MSN to see more of our exclusive soccer content.
More must-reads:
Trending slideshow: The 25 best American-born men's soccer players of all time (Provided by Yardbarker)