By Miguel Rapetti
01 Jul 2024, 19:46 PM EDT
Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo spoke out on Monday after missing a penalty against Slovenia in the Euro 2016 round of 16, explaining that he was in tears because he initially felt sadness and then joy when his team won 3-0 on penalties.
Speaking after the match, Cristiano Ronaldo spoke of the sadness he felt after missing the penalty in extra time and the joy not only of having converted his shot in the shootout, but also of the impressive performance of Diogo Costa, who saved three penalties.
“Initial sadness and joy at the end, that’s what football gives you, it’s inexplicable. I could have given Portugal the victory, but I couldn’t. Oblak stopped it for me. For a year I haven’t missed a single penalty and when I needed it most, Oblak appeared,” he said in statements to ‘Sport TV’.
Ronaldo then spoke about Portugal’s qualification to face France in the quarter-finals and congratulated his teammates for their efforts despite Slovenia’s dedication to defending the entire match.
“It is a feeling of joy and sadness at the same time, but the most important thing is qualification, the team deserved it. Slovenia spent almost the entire time defending. Congratulations to my teammates, especially to our goalkeeper, who made three good saves,” he added.
Before saying goodbye, Cristiano Ronaldo reflected on his performance and recalled that he never stopped trying to find the goal that could give Portugal victory.
“That’s football, it’s all or nothing. During the game we tried, I tried,” he concluded.
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