From clutching his head in disappointment, erupting in joy after the penalty kick, stunned into silence when Croatia seemed to equalize, to finally smiling in relief thanks to VAR, Cristiano Ronaldo experienced a full spectrum of emotions over the 90 minutes.
That "roller coaster ride" concluded with Portugal's 2-1 victory over Croatia on the morning of July 3rd, securing their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup .
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Ronaldo experienced an emotional match. Photo: Reuters . |
A "bizarre" match
After the match, the 41-year-old captain admitted it was one of Portugal's "strangest" performances since the start of the tournament. According to Ronaldo, the World Cup has never been a stage for easy victories, and every team has to go through chaotic moments if they want to win the championship.
"It was a pretty strange game. We controlled the first half well but couldn't do that in the second. Croatia scored and we panicked a bit. It was a crazy game, but this is the World Cup. It's always like that, no team wins easily," he said.
What unfolded on the BMO Field perfectly reflected that sentiment. Portugal started dominantly, but Bruno Fernandes , Renato Veiga, and Ronaldo himself repeatedly missed opportunities. Each time the ball went wide of the goal, CR7 clutched his head in disappointment, as if sensing that such wastefulness would come at a price.
That quickly became a reality. In the 55th minute, Ivan Perisic opened the scoring for Croatia. Just a minute later, Portugal's net was shaken again. Ronaldo and his teammates were almost stunned by the prospect of being two goals down, before VAR ruled Croatia offside.
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In the 81st minute, coach Roberto Martinez decided to substitute Ronaldo with Ruben Neves. Photo: Reuters . |
But Ronaldo's emotions haven't stopped fluctuating.
In the 61st minute, he raised both hands in celebration after scoring against Dominik Livakovic. Just seconds later, the joy vanished when VAR ruled the goal invalid.
Instead of collapsing after the disallowed goal, Ronaldo quickly regained his composure. In the 68th minute, the Portuguese captain stepped up to the penalty spot, deceived Dominik Livakovic to equalize 1-1, then ran to the corner of the pitch to perform his familiar "Siuuu" celebration amidst thunderous cheers from the stands.
It was also one of the moments that showed the value of managing pressure on the biggest stage on the planet. In just a few seconds, a player must put aside negative emotions, the noise from the stands, and the weight of expectations to make the most accurate decision.
According to Geir Jordet, a professor at the Norwegian School of Sports Science and author of the book Pressure, success or failure in penalty shootouts rarely depends solely on technique. What often makes the difference is the ability to control emotions and maintain focus under immense pressure.
Jordet's research indicates that many players, after failing in crucial moments, often exhibit behaviors such as bowing their heads, burying their faces in their hands, falling to the ground, or avoiding eye contact with teammates. According to him, without adequate psychological preparation, such moments can become a lasting trauma throughout their careers.
Emotional mastery skills
In the 81st minute, coach Roberto Martinez decided to substitute Ronaldo, replacing him with Ruben Neves. The Portuguese superstar clearly showed his disappointment and bewilderment as he walked off the pitch.
The drama reached its peak in injury time. In the 90+4th minute, from a cross by Rafael Leão, Goncalo Ramos, who came on as a substitute for Ronaldo, headed the ball into the net, giving Portugal the lead. Leão collapsed to the ground, his face not exactly beaming with joy, but rather showing relief after a long period of pressure. On the sidelines, Ronaldo continuously shouted, clapped, and urged his teammates to hold onto the slender advantage.
But tragedy seemed to strike again in the 90+13th minute.
Josko Gvardiol's goal against Portugal sent the Croatian players into a frenzy. In stark contrast to his opponents, Ronaldo stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the stadium's large screen. His tense face and wide-open eyes clearly reflected his anxiety at the impending victory.
A few seconds later, VAR once again became the center of attention.
As the referee ran to the touchline to review the situation, the entire BMO Field stadium held its breath. Ronaldo stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the large screen. Only when Croatia's goal was disallowed for offside did the Portuguese captain embrace his teammates, his face relaxing in relief after a long period of tension.
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The Portuguese national team moved many people when they paid tribute to Jota. Photo: Reuters . |
These events show that the biggest challenge at the World Cup sometimes lies not in your legs, but in your ability to control your emotions.
A study published in Frontiers analyzing 333 elite athletes indicated that mental health and psychological resilience help athletes quickly regain their composure after adverse situations, thereby maintaining focus and decision-making quality during competition.
This effect is even more evident in highly professional athletes, showing that resilience isn't about avoiding disappointment or pressure, but about knowing how to put them aside and be ready for the next moment. Ronaldo is the epitome of this. In over 90 minutes on the BMO Field pitch, he constantly navigated between opposing extremes.
When the final whistle blew, CR7 didn't rush off to celebrate wildly. He quietly held Diogo Jota's number 21 jersey in his hands, standing in the center of the team photo. After a match where emotions were pushed to the extreme, that image closed the night in Toronto with gratitude, unity, and the belief that Portugal is still working together towards its biggest goal at the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://znews.vn/tran-doi-dau-ky-la-nhat-cua-ronaldo-post1665795.html
