Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted his frustration after missing a crucial penalty in Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia in the last 16 of Euro 2024, but the Portuguese star stressed the importance of his side reaching the quarter-finals.
The match ended in a draw after 120 minutes, with Portugal eventually securing their place in the last four with a 3-0 penalty shootout victory. Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was the hero of the night, saving three Slovenian attempts, while Ronaldo missed his penalty in the 105th minute.
Despite his missed penalty, Ronaldo was keen to highlight Portugal’s team spirit and fighting spirit: “I was obviously disappointed to have missed the penalty, it was the first one I had missed this season. But the most important thing is that the team won and that we are in the quarter-finals.”
The Portuguese captain also spoke of his fear of losing on penalties, after suffering two such defeats with his club Al-Nassr this season. “I was a little bit afraid of losing on penalties, especially after two eliminations with my club,” he said.
Finally, Ronaldo wanted to thank the Portuguese fans for their unwavering support: “I want to thank all the fans who were there tonight. They pushed us all the way and their support was crucial. We will need them again on Friday against France.”
