Cristiano Ronaldo was slowly leaving the sector when Romelu Lulaku got here to hug him.
Lukaku hugged for a number of moments, speaking into the ear of the Portuguese nice. Ronaldo politely thanks him, however is rapidly again within the tunnel.
He was not within the temper for a lot chatting.
As Lukaku headed to the European Championship quarter-finals with Belgium, Ronaldo was on his method dwelling to – and his season – after a disappointing finish to his event.
Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo share a second. to respect. @RomeluLukaku9 🤜🤛 @cristiano #euro2020 pic.twitter.com/15AjggXUd4
— UEFA Euro 2020 (@Euro2020) June 27, 2021
There was no repeat European title. There was no world scoring report. And there in all probability will not even be a Player of the Year award.
The 36-year-old Ronaldo ended a poor season after shedding to Belgium 1-0 in Portugal’s spherical of 16 at Euro 2020 on Sunday.
Even although he scored over 40 objectives together with his membership and his nation, his numbers weren’t spectacular by his requirements. He did not win the Italian league with Juventus, the place his future stays unsure together with his contract expiring subsequent 12 months. Their solely titles got here within the Italian Cup and the Italian Super Cup in 2021.
Ronaldo made a stellar begin at Euro 2020, nonetheless, scoring 5 objectives within the first three matches, with former Iran striker Ali Dei main the best way as the boys’s all-time high scorer with 109 objectives.
If he saved scoring, and Portugal stayed on observe for one more title, he might be again in talks for Player of the Year.
It did not occur.
Ronaldo threw his captain’s armband to the bottom after the ultimate whistle in opposition to Belgium, then he was one of many first to stroll out.
Portugal had a number of probabilities all through the match on the La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, however Ronaldo himself was not in a lot hazard. He had a number of probabilities in every half from a free kick, and with a shot from inside the world close to the tip of the match.
Ronaldo was backed by a gifted Portugal staff that included Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota. But additionally they stumbled within the assault on Sunday, and Thorgan Hazard’s first-half purpose was sufficient to ship Belgium into the quarter-finals.
Two years after profitable their first main title at Euro 2016, Portugal misplaced on the identical stage on the 2018 World Cup. The staff’s second win was profitable the inaugural Nations League in 2019.
️”[The ball] Didn’t want to go in today.”
Thibaut Courtois and Cristiano Ronaldo after the ultimate whistle…#euro2020 pic.twitter.com/oBDyZG3f8j
— UEFA Euro 2020 (@Euro2020) June 27, 2021
“It’s a big disappointment for us because we believed we could win, as we did in 2016,” mentioned Portugal coach Fernando Santos.
“But there are things to look forward to. In 2018, we were also dropped but then in 2019 we won the Nations League. Now we will try to win the World Cup (in 2022).”
Ronaldo shall be 37 by then, and can most certainly have already damaged worldwide scoring information.
For now, he can nonetheless take solace from getting an opportunity to complete as the highest scorer at Euro 2020. He stays the event’s main scorer with 5 objectives, yet one more than Patrick Schick of the Czech Republic, who reached the quarter-finals.
.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
