Margins are extremely fine in football.
Of the nine penalties taken in Hamburg on Friday night, eight-and-a-half of them were perfect. But Joao Felix’s penalty struck the post and ended Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s dreams.
That was how the New York Times described their exit to France at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2024 which was as unerringly accurate as you get.
For while they may now be back home, Portugal can hold their heads high.
Certainly, Portugal cannot be classed in the same category as, for example, Belgium – a generation whose talent never quite lived up to its billing.
For a start they will always have 2016 – the year they were crowned the best nation in Europe.
Last Friday, they went toe-to-toe with probably the best side in Europe and there was nothing between the teams, highlighting that they still remain a force to be reckoned with (even with a 39 year-old and a 41 year-old in their ranks).
In fact, the way this tournament has panned out means the majority of the leading nations have been paired together in the same side of the knockout stages draw.
The fact the Selecao failed to score in their last three matches may be used as a stick to beat them with but France’s record so far in five Euro 2024 matches is three goals – two own goals and a penalty – and they are 90 minutes away from the final without the same level of scrutiny.
Yes, Portugal were expected to see off Slovenia in the last 16 without the need for a penalty shoot-out but the fact they persevered spoke volumes for their character as Diogo Costa shone on the big stage.
The focus on their captain Cristiano Ronaldo is always there, of course, and, sadly, fuelled by jealousy.
Manager Roberto Martinez persisted with him on the field and the question was posed whether a pair of successful penalties in Portugal’s two shootouts is really worth it?
Well, it’s easy to criticise and highlight certain factors to suit your narrative.
In the last-16 tie against Slovenia, the BBC was quick to mention that Ronaldo had only scored one of his last 60-plus free-kicks.
It was also implied that that statistic, combined with his extra-time penalty miss, meant he was effectively a ‘passenger’ in the team.
What the same summariser failed to point out was that the percentage of successful free-kicks from most players is very low, nor that Ronaldo had scored his last 24 penalties until that point.
A short time later, after a 120-minute stalemate, Ronaldo was the first Portuguese player to step up rather than shy away from a possible double setback.
Did he score? Of course he did!
Despite carrying the pressure of an entire nation on his shoulders, the confidence and swagger was never going to disappear for long.
Let’s not try and rewrite history here.
CR7 is way past the peak of his powers and had few Euro 2024 highlights to write home about. At his age, that should come as no surprise, just as Lionel Messi – his rival for arguably the greatest talent ever to grace the game – is too.
Yet, by way of example, their successor as arguably the greatest player in the world, Kylian Mbappe, was quiet in their quarter-final too and wasn’t even on the pitch by the time it came to the shoot-out.
Would Portugal have fared better with a younger presence in attack? Unlikely.
For their captain was still making runs, still free-ing up space for other team-mates, still demanding the ball, still keen to take responsibility for the majority of set pieces and was close on more than one occasion to becoming the first man to score in an 11th successive major international tournament.
He played the entire 120 minutes against Slovenia and France and still clearly commands the respect of his teammates and Martinez.
In the end, it wasn’t to be, but the criticism of Ronaldo stems, in the most part, from jealousy of former players and journalists who don’t care for his histrionics or the fact he has ended England dreams at major tournaments on more than one occasion.
He is box office and, while he has already confirmed this European Championship would be his last – no great shock given he will be 43 by the time Euro 2028 rolls around –there are reports he will extend his stay in Saudi Arabia until 2026.
In other words, there is a distinct possibility he has one more World Cup left in his legs. That in itself, physically, would be an extraordinary feat and the way he shrugged off his extra-time penalty miss to score the first spot-kick in the shootout against Slovenia spoke of his mental powers.
We are unlikely to see Pepe again at a major tournament but, as they return home, we should be celebrating two Portugal stalwarts with a combined age of 80.
For all their shortcomings that advanced years provide, the tournament – and Portugal’s chances – were still better for their presence.
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