Yesterday, in a must-win game against Qatar, Lionel Messi did something that was very uncharacteristic of him. With the opportunity to seal the game for Argentina and secure a place in the knockout rounds of the Copa América, he skied an open shot into the stands.
This Messi miss ... pic.twitter.com/5eD5XIziDB
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 23, 2019
Ten years ago today, Real Madrid shook the world by signing Cristiano Ronaldo for an at-the-time astronomical €94 million ($132 million). While it was a hefty investment, Ronaldo has proven to be a bargain, leading Los Blancos to 15 pieces of silverware over his nine years at the club.
While Portugal’s national team was for the most part all smiles during the trophy ceremony after its 1-0 Nationals League Final win over the Netherlands on Sunday, one player couldn’t hide his disappointment when it came to individual awards.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the path to UEFA Nations League glory was exceptionally similar to the one he trod to victory at Euro 2016. After a stunning hat trick in the semis to lift Portugal to the final — much like the towering, match-winning header he planted against Wales at the same stage in 2016 — Ronaldo was subdued at the tournament’s climax.
The UEFA Nations League semifinals kicked off Tuesday. The new competition began with group play in the fall and concludes this week with the top league’s group winners playing a mini-tournament in Portugal.
Portugal took a lead in the first semifinal against Switzerland through a powerful Cristiano Ronaldo free kick. The Swiss then equalized in the most unusual of circumstances.