"It is amazing how at 39 he is still sprinting at 118 minutes of play" - Slovenia star hails Cristiano Ronaldo after loss to Portugal at Euro 2024
Slovenia defender Vanja Drkusic praised Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo for his incredible work rate and stamina during their clash in the Round of 16 at EURO 2024. The match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes in Frankfurt on Monday, July 1. Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved all three of Slovenia's penalties in the ensuing shootout, helping his side to a 3-0 victory.
Drkusic, 24, who plays for Sochi in the Russian Premier League, played a massive role in keeping the Portuguese attack subdued throughout the game. In the 104th minute, however, he hacked down winger Diogo Jota in the box to give the Al-Nassr superstar a chance to open his account.
Unfortunately for Portugal, Ronaldo had his penalty saved by opposition goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Despite the miss, Drkusic had nothing but praise for the 39-year-old, commending his impeccable endurance and determination towards the end of the game.
Drkusic said to Portuguese newspaper A BOLA (via Sapo Desporto):
"Cristiano is still a top player. It is amazing how at 39 he is still sprinting at 118 minutes of play. I think this is fantastic and shows the effort he puts on the field."
Before the game against Slovenia, Ronaldo had gone goalless in the group stage of a major international competition for the first time in his career. With Portugal's qualification into the next round, their captain has been handed another chance to break his EURO 2024 goal drought.
Roberto Martinez's side will take on Didier Deschamps' France in a highly-anticipated quarter-final matchup at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion on July 5.
"It was a very good experience" - Slovenia's Vanja Drkusic talks about facing Cristiano Ronaldo at EURO 2024
Slovenian defender Vanja Drkusic claimed that it was 'motivating' to face Cristiano Ronaldo at EURO 2024. He called the former Real Madrid attacker 'one of the greatest players in history', and expressed pride in his side's fight against their much-fancied opponents.
Drkusic said (via footballplanet.si):
"I'm very happy to have earned the trust of the coach and my teammates. I gained a lot of new experiences and knowledge that I can use in my career going forward. To end by playing against one of the greatest players in history, Ronaldo, was very motivating for me, it was a very good experience."
Drkusic formed a solid centre-back partnership alongside Udinese defender Jaka Bijol. They were one of the main forces behind Slovenia's qualification into the Round of 16. They managed to keep a clean sheet against Roberto Martinez's side as well.
Beaming with pride about his team's determined performances, the 26-year-old said:
"If we had to lose, we left this tournament with our heads held high. We showed who we are and what we are capable of. We proved that we have a lot of football knowledge... I’m very proud and happy to have been part of this team, to share the dressing room with the guys. I think there are still many great things ahead for us."
Slovenia didn't lose a single match at EURO 2024 in regulation time, having managed three draws in the group stage.