Cristiano Ronaldo: The Last Dance of the Immortal and the Dream That Refuses to Die
Cristiano Ronaldo belongs to the latter category. At 41 years old, with a career full of trophies, he continues to chase the only great dream that is missing from his football palace: winning the World Cup.
here are footballers who accept the passing of time. And there are those who choose to defy it. Cristiano Ronaldo belongs to the latter category. At 41 years old, with a career full of trophies, individual distinctions and countless records, he continues to chase the only great dream that is missing from his football palace: winning the World Cup.
In Toronto, on a night full of emotion, nostalgia and historical symbolism, the Portuguese superstar led his national team to a 2-1 victory over Croatia and wrote another chapter in his legendary journey. Opposite him was an old teammate, one of the most important midfielders of the modern era, Luka Modric. The two men, who spent six years together at Real Madrid and won everything together, met for the last time at a World Cup.
For the Croatian, it was the end of a long journey. For Ronaldo, however, it was another step towards the top.
Highlights via DasFootball
Fate gave this match an even deeper symbolism. The date coincided with the first anniversary of the tragic death of Diogo Jota, a footballer who was particularly loved by his teammates and the Portuguese people. Since the beginning of the tournament, the Portuguese national team has been playing with the memory of their teammate in their hearts, having turned mourning into motivation and loss into a source of inspiration.
The match did not start easily for Portugal. . Despite its superiority in the first half, Croatia held on and even scored a goal in the second half (53') with the evergreen Ivan Perisic. For a few minutes, the shadow of exclusion seemed to fall on the Iberians. But great protagonists do not allow their stories to end prematurely.
Cristiano
Ronaldo had already seen one of his goals disallowed for offside. He was not disappointed. He waited for his moment with the patience of a man who knows that history often reserves one more chance. And this one came from the penalty spot. . With absolute composure, he took the penalty kick in the 68th minute, sent the ball into the net and celebrated with the familiar “SIU”, which sounded like a war cry in the stands of BMO Field.
It was his third goal in the tournament and his 11th in the final stages of the World Cup. Another number added to a career that for years has surpassed the limits of statistics and has entered the realm of legend.
And when everything indicated that the match would go to extra time, Gonzalo Ramos gave Portugal the victory in extra time (90’ +4’), opening the door to the “16”.
Luka Modric left the field with his head held high, but with his World Cup dream unfulfilled. Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, is still going strong.
This may be his last World Cup. There may be no other chance. But the Portuguese legend has proven more than anyone else that he doesn't live by "maybes." He lives by faith, by perseverance, and by the certainty that even at 41, he can still look football's greatest dream in the eye.
And as long as he continues to score, inspire, and lead his country, the dream of the Portuguese national team remains alive.
Manos Staramopoulos
Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs
Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com
Athens (Greece).
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