Joy for Ronaldo as he lifts the cup
The long awaited football champion of the world Cristiano Ronaldo will indeed have a great story to tell as he lifts the Euro 2016 trophy for his country.
The 31-year-old Real Madrid superstar carried his country’s hopes into the final against the hosts France in Paris not only as Portugal’s captain but also as the player who posed the greatest threat to Didier Deschamps’ side.
According to BBC News, it was however gathered that it looked like all the aspirations of Ronaldo and Portugal would be shattered when he was taken off on a stretcher after 25 minutes of play following two attempts to battle through a knee injury sustained in a seventh minute collision with France’s West Ham United midfielder Dimitri Payet.
Yet, as this long night at Stade de France ended with an ecstatic Ronaldo lifting the Euro 2016 trophy, his earlier heartbreak will surely have been erased as tears of joy sheds down his face.
He may have only played for 25 minutes, but such was the pure theatre of his presence on and off the pitch that this was almost ‘The Ronaldo Final’.
His presence sent a whole lot of pressure to the France national team as they defy to fate, and luck to the Portugal nation team.