“He has everything yet a missed penalty still makes him cry like a baby” - Serie A legend says Cristiano Ronaldo tears were best thing at Euro 2024
Serie A legend Faustino Asprilla has spoken about Cristiano Ronaldo's missed penalty during Portugal's EURO 2024 Round of 16 match against Slovenia on July 1. The match went into extra time, with neither side able to open the scoring, but Diogo Jota was fouled in the box and a penalty was given.
The responsibility lay on Ronaldo, who had not yet scored in the tournament, to secure the win and put the Selecao in the quarter-finals. However, the legendary striker sent his effort toward the bottom right corner, where it was impeccably saved by Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Cristiano Ronaldo looked inconsolable as he missed his effort from 12 yards, and the game eventually went to penalties. He eventually scored from the spot in the shootout, which Portugal won. However, Asprilla believes Ronaldo's tears were the best thing he had seen at EURO 2024. In an interview with Gazzetta, he said (via Football Italia):
“Can you believe it? He is a superstar; he is almost 40 years old, and he has everything. Money, glory and success. Yet a missed penalty still makes him cry like a baby.”
Although he is the first player to mark an appearance in six editions of the EUROs, Ronaldo has yet to find the net in this one. He will hope he can do so when they face France in the EURO 2024 quarter-finals on July 5 at the Volksparkstadion.
Cristiano Ronaldo opens up about missed penalty at EURO 2024
It might have been the best thing for Faustino Asprilla's eyes to see Cristiano Ronaldo in tears, but the forward had an emotional reaction to missing the penalty. The miss hit him hard, as he revealed after the game, saying (via Indian Express):
“I didn’t make a single mistake this year and when I was needed the most, Oblak saved it. At this moment I missed it, but the most important thing is that the team won. I lost twice on penalties this season and won the third time. Sometimes football is fair and sometimes just, but we deserved to qualify.
"I will always give my best for this shirt, whether I fail or not, but you have to take responsibility. I have never been afraid to face things head on. Sometimes I do things right, sometimes I don’t, but giving up is something you will never hear from me."
Cristiano Ronaldo was not a big part of ensuring the eventual win, as Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa took the heroics by saving three penalties. However, the legendary striker took responsibility by taking the first penalty in the shootout and burying his effort beyond Oblak's hands.
He will hope he can find an improved performance when he faces France in their next EURO 2024 clash. Les Bleus will be slight favorites, having gotten to two World Cup finals consecutively and winning in 2018.