Cristiano Ronaldo’s evening of extremes against Slovenia

These pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo are going around the world again. Confident before the penalty, dejected after the penalty, crying on the pitch, celebrating after the penalty shootout. Even for the 39-year-old superstar, this European Championship night in Frankfurt, during which he even apologized to his own fans with a humble gesture, was something very special.

„Of course I was incredibly sad and then overjoyed. That’s football. You can’t explain what happens there. It’s all or nothing, it happens again and again. Then fate and luck turn“, said Ronaldo immediately after the 3-0 penalty shootout against Slovenia. The captain had first missed from the penalty spot in extra time late on Monday evening and then converted Portugal’s first penalty in the shootout.

„Everyone can make mistakes. The most important thing is what we do after the mistake. We have to believe in ourselves and that’s what we did. Now we are happy“, said goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who made European Championship history by saving three penalties and becoming the big match winner. Costa did not see himself as a hero. In the press conference room, he even forgot the trophy he had received as player of the match.

On Friday (9 p.m.) in the quarter-finals in Hamburg, the giants will face vice world champion France with Kylian Mbappé.We got through, we had to work hard, we did quite well and therefore we deserved to win. Congratulations also to Diogo Costa, who saved three penalties“, said Ronaldo.