For Diogo Jota, he became the face of Portugal’s grief. For Luka Modric, the consoler. For broadcasters, the only agenda. For his nation, a hero they were starting to fall out of love with. At full-time in Toronto, Cristiano Ronaldo wore multiple hats. He was Portugal’s saviour.
A narrative-defier. A record-breaker. His penalty resuscitated Portugal, and his performance earned yet another age-defying milestone. Oldest ever to score at a World Cup knockout, and to win a player of the match award. The one thing he no longer looked like was the Ronaldo football once knew.
He could have been. In the ninth minute, Pedro Neto whipped in an inswinging cross so inviting that it seemed designed exclusively for one man. Leaping for it was the master of leaps. Ronaldo. For well over a decade, the outcome was an inevitability. Here, though, he missed – the ball, the flight of it, the timing of the jump. For several seconds, Neto simply stood still, both hands planted on his head, struggling to comprehend what he had witnessed.
An hour and three-quarters later, another cross was flung in. On this occasion, a floaty in-stepper from the right, by Rafael Leao. Goncalo Ramos drifted between Josko Gvardiol and Marin Pongracic, timed his leap perfectly and powered a header into the corner. 2-1. The knockout specialists were dealt a knockout punch. Between Ronaldo’s missed header and Ramos’ decisive one lies the story of Portugal’s night — the one that you might have missed.