PHOTO: AFP

DHAKA SUNDAY JULY 7, 2024, ASHAR 23, 1431 BS

NABID YEASIN

Portugal will remember the Euro 2024 as another golden opportunity squandered to get silverware with arguably one of the most talented bunch of footballers, but for their captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, the tournament will remain as a case of whether the 39-year-old forward has stretched his international career one tournament too long.

Portugal -- boasting an enviable midfield of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, and Joao Palinha -- exited Euro 2024 in a lacklustre way, playing out a largely dull 120 minutes in the quarterfinal in Hamburg on Friday night against France, only to lose 5-3 on penalties.

Ronaldo did step up and convert the first spot-kick during the shootout, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was largely amiss throughout the game -- like he had been the entire tournament.

Ronaldo skying a Francisco Conceicao cut-back from close range in extra-time -- Portugal’s best chance from open play on the night -- or his failure in sprinting past France’s William Saliba in the right flank showed that he is neither a threatening presence inside the box nor is he the one to pose threats with his blistering pace like he once used to.

In fact, if anything, Ronaldo looked like he was the one holding a talented Portugal side back -- hogging the free-kicks despite his abysmal record of converting only once from 61 free-kicks in major tournaments -- and shunting the likes of far more pacy Diogo Jota and Goncalo Ramos in the sidelines.

Did Ronaldo push it one tournament too far this time? If this question was a point to ponder at the beginning of the tournament for which Portugal qualified as the only unbeaten side with Ronaldo top-scoring for his side with 10 in the qualifiers, the Al-Nassr forward has only validated those doubts with his underwhelming performances in Germany.

The former Real Madrid forward is still the record goalscorer in Euros, with 14 goals in 30 matches, but he failed to become the oldest player to score in the tournament. Apart from scoring in shootouts, he has failed to net a single goal in five matches.

It seemed like Ronaldo was about to pip his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric, whose goal against Italy in the group stage this tournament saw him become the oldest goalscorer in the history of the Euros at 38 years and 294 days, to the milestone when he stepped up to take a penalty in extra time in their Round of 16 game against Slovenia.

However, Jan Oblak denied Ronaldo with a brilliant save, reducing the mighty footballing figure into tears -- a sight for which the legions of fans of the ever-so-proud Ronaldo and even the entire world were not ready.

While Ronaldo somewhat redeemed himself when he converted the first penalty from shootout in the Slovenia game before Diogo Costa heroics -- the Portuguese goalkeeper thwarted three successive penalties -- propelled Portugal to the quarters, that moment of weakness might just have shown that even Ronaldo started doubting himself.

If Ronaldo had made himself known for anything in his illustrious career spanning over two decades is that he always backs himself to get back up and shut the critics with goals and more. But that moment of him breaking down in tears and later apologising to fans for his mistake showed the world a different Ronaldo, who perhaps knows that age has eventually caught up to him but is yet not fully ready to accept the fact.

Ronaldo mentioned that this was his last dance in the Euros, but has not said anything about drawing curtains on his international career yet. “It’s too soon and raw after the match to talk about that and there have been no individual decisions made,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, who has been his biggest supporter in this tumultuous time, said when asked if it was Ronaldo’s last game in a Portugal jersey.

Ronaldo’s dedication and fitness will most likely allow him to go on for at least a few more years outside of Europe, a route that he had already chosen as he now plies his trade for Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr. But maybe the time has come for the all-time top international goalscorer to realise that he is only tarnishing the grand reputation that holds him alongside the best footballers in history by overstaying his welcome at the international level.