The UEFA National League final, which took place in the early morning of June 9 (Vietnam time) between Spain and Portugal, was surprisingly dramatic. Facing a La Roja team that possessed a series of bright young faces such as Yamal, Nico William... Portugal still let Ronaldo, who had entered his 40s, be the captain. Taking on a big responsibility in a final that could be the last of his career, CR7 certainly understood how much pressure was on his shoulders.
In the same generation as Ronaldo, many players have "laid down their weapons" and left the stage to the next generation, but CR7 still chooses to continue playing. The desire to conquer is still burning as ever, but time has caught up with the former Real striker. No longer able to accelerate or make miraculous jumps like before, however, the Portuguese superstar still perseveres with his runs on the field.
Perhaps being led by a spiritual leader like Ronaldo made the Portuguese team show such a persistent fighting spirit against the Spanish team - the reigning Euro champions. The European Selecao fell behind twice and both times they equalized, in which Ronaldo himself made a great contribution when he scored the equalizer 2-2 to rekindle hope for the Portuguese team.
When the two extra periods ended with a 2-2 draw, the two teams had to enter a penalty shootout full of luck. Ronaldo, who had been substituted, was still standing there, the camera captured the moment the 40-year-old superstar closed his eyes and turned away when his teammates took the fateful kicks. Perhaps at that moment, Ronaldo also understood that the glory of victory or the sadness of defeat was decided in just a moment. When he could no longer play on the field, all the 40-year-old star's hopes were placed on his "juniors".
The drama of the final match was pushed to its climax when both teams successfully executed the first three penalty kicks. Only in the fourth penalty kick when veteran striker Alvaro Morata of the Spanish national team missed did people see Ronaldo's face relax a bit. And finally, when Ruben Neves successfully executed the last kick for the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo collapsed, his shoulders shaking slightly. The 40-year-old football warrior cried bitterly when his teammates helped him win the National League championship for the second time. This could also be the last time Ronaldo had the happiness of winning a title with the Portuguese national team.
This victory was somewhat lucky but it seemed worthy of what Ronaldo had contributed to the European Selecao and this tournament. With this championship, Ronaldo continued to become the greatest name in the history of Portuguese football as well as adding his name to the list of legends of world football.
Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/ronaldo-va-giot-nuoc-mat-tuoi-40-i770991/
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