Shootout sends below-par Portugal into quarter-finals

The Cristiano Ronaldo show rumbled into Frankfurt, and it didn’t disappoint.

- PETE HALL

Well, unless you are a selfie-hunting, “siuuuu” screaming fanboy that is.

Portugal progressing via penalty shootout success over Slovenia to book a quarter-final date with France will be billed as a Ronaldo redemption story, but after a night where he did his utmost to make an entire match about himself, the veteran superstar, in tears mid-match, frankly doesn’t deserve it.

Instead, Diogo Costa must embrace all the acclaim that should be coming his way, after three other-worldly saves in the shootout to send a below-par Portugal through.

But let’s first talk about Ronaldo. The first half was especially embarrassing from the player who doesn’t think twice about putting personal gain over the collective. It was like watching Sylvester Stallone in his more recent films. He wants to still do his own stunts, and insists on doing so, but it’s a tough watch for all those around him forced to play along.

The Frankfurt Arena was perfect for the Audience with Cristiano ITV Special. Each time Ronaldo tried, and failed, to break his tournament duck, multiple replays were shown on the big screens hanging from the closed roof, giving it the feel of an NBA match, enabling spectators to ignore what was actually going on elsewhere on the pitch in real-time.