Cristiano Ronaldo admits he is “sad but happy” after missing and then scoring a penalty as Portugal survived against Slovenia to advance to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
Ronaldo, 39, was left distraught and in tears after seeing a spot kick halfway through extra-time saved by Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
He returned to fire in the first penalty of the shootout, though, before Diogo Costa saved three efforts himself as Portugal squeezed through.
Ronaldo, who now plays his club football with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, admitted to going through a rollercoaster of emotions after the game.
“At first I was sad, now I am overjoyed,” he told broadcasters on the field. “This is football. This is what football gives you.
“At first I was sad, now I’m over enjoyed.” 🇵🇹
Cristiano Ronaldo speaks after Portugal’s massive win over Slovenia in the Round of 16 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tfCh9oSF8x
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 1, 2024
“You cannot explain this. It goes from eight to 80. We had the chance to go ahead. I failed. Oblak defended it. I need to see it again, I don’t know if I hit it right or not.
“I feel sad but happy as well. It’s important to enjoy progressing. We’re doing a great job, we’re here to the bitter end.
“We had more chances, we deserved this.”
Portugal were indebted to Porto goalkeeper Costa, who saved from Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko in extra-time before his heroics in the shootout.
“This is probably the best game of my life. I focused on doing what I had to do. I went with my gut feeling.
“Of course we had analysed the penalty takers, but players change and they change how they shoot. I am very happy and very excited to have helped the team.”
“We all felt we needed to keep believing (after Ronaldo’s first penalty),” he added. “We believed until the very end and we’re all very happy.”
Ronaldo and his team-mates will now face France in the last eight of Euro 2024 on Friday in Hamburg.
Earlier on Monday, France were made to work for their own place in the quarter-finals with a Jan Vertonghen own goal ultimately seeing them past Belgium.
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The Briefing: Portugal win penalty shootout to beat Slovenia after Ronaldo’s tears
(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
