In the final 16 fixture, Portugal and Slovenia concluded in a 0-0 draw, but Portugal claimed victory with a 3-0 triumph in the penalty shootout. Diogo Jota made a bold move into the penalty area, resulting in a clash with Vanja Drkušić and earned Portugal a much-needed penalty kick.
Cristiano Ronaldo, highly acclaimed as the most prolific goal scorer alive, took his seventh shot of the match, this time facing the formidable Jan Oblak after 105 tense, goalless minutes on the Frankfurt pitch. The moment was electrified with anticipation as football enthusiasts worldwide held their breath, waiting for the outcome. Ronaldo shot the ball, Oblak ventured to the left, only to touch the ball, sending it ricocheting off the post.
As arguably the most famous individual globally, Ronaldo boasts almost a billion followers on various platforms. His on-field presence stirred up a state of shared excitement that spiralled into a communal frenzy. The audience in the stadium loved each moment; their cheers echoed when Ronaldo performed his trademark free-kick routine – positioning himself, adjusting his shorts, and sending the ball over the bar.
An enthusiastic cheer echoed from the crowd when he tackled Slovenia’s Petar Stojanovic. It seemed to replicate the level of thrill if, through a rather surprising series of events, Taylor Swift had been playing as Portugal’s leading striker, delivering a riveting performance. Despite Swift, at 34, lacking any known professional football experience, this level of performance would be quite an achievement.
However, amid the football session of Euro 2024, Ronaldo managed to draw all attention, mainly due to the crowd’s hyper-responsiveness to his actions. Beyond the stadium confines, billions of people on social media mirrored these reactions, their feeds brimmed with mixed responses when Ronaldo failed to score a penalty kick. The sentiments ranged from hilarious outbursts to outright mocking – a testament to Ronaldo’s popularity, as only he could create an uproar over a missed penalty kick. It’s no surprise that the overwhelming humiliation made him shed tears.
In a parallel to American politics, if Joe Biden was embodied by him, Roberto Martinez was assuming the role of Jill Biden, offering applause and motivation from off the pitch. The question was looming, how long could Martinez merely spectate? Unlike the comparatively static Democratic Party, Portugal boasted an impressive reserve lineup in this contest, including Jota, Joao Felix, Ramos, Neto, Conçeicao among others.
Upon reaching the 65-minute mark, Martinez finally introduced Diogo Jota in place of Vitinha – a proficient central midfielder with a Instagram following of merely a million. This substitution risked diluting Portugal’s midfield, but Martinez possibly deemed it necessary for enhancing their attack. Concurrently, Francisco Conceiçao replaced Rafa Leão, referred to as “number seven … TEEN!” by the stadium announcer.
Regretfully, the alterations affected the team negatively. Despite Joao Cancelo maintaining control easily against Slovenia’s left-back, Jure Balkovec, Portugal’s command diminished and chances were scarce while Slovenia found opportunities for counterattacks. Ronaldo missed a penalty at the concluding minute of the first half of extra time, offering a glimmer of hope to the Slovenians. However, a wonderful save by Diogo Costa against Benjamin Šeško denied Slovenia the lead.
Shortly after, the true hero of the match became clear. Costa, who managed to block Slovenia’s first penalty attempt from Josip Ilicic, received the man of the match accolade for Portugal. Ronaldo scored Portugal’s first, a moment that was met with a sigh of relief from the spectators. Slovenia’s next penalty attempt by Jure Balkovec was again saved by Costa; this time diving left.
Bruno Fernandes netted Portugal’s second penalty with nonchalance. Slovenia’s third attempt by Benjamin Verbic was also thwarted by Costa. Finally, Bernardo Silva netted the final shot, ensuring Portugal’s progression to the quarter-finals in Hamburg, against France. Costa’s exceptional performance will be revered as the highlight of the match.