Injured Cristiano Ronaldoleaves Euro 2016 final in tears for second time

Cristiano Ronaldohas left a European Championship final in tears for a second time. Hobbled by a tackle from France's Dimitri Payet in the ninth minute, the Portugal starstruggled on after bouts of treatment on his injured left knee until he accepted the inevitable that his game wasover.Ronaldo exited the Stade de France pitch on a stretcher in the 25th minute with his hands covering his face to hide the tears beneath.

The three-time world player of the year left his Portugal teammates to try to secure their first major tournament title.Now aged 31, Ronaldo might not have a better or even another chance.Ronaldo was perhaps the victim of his own overconfidence and nonchalance as Payet chargedin to challenge.

Standing still with his right foot hovering over the ball in midfield, Ronaldo struck a teasing pose as if to taunt Payet about what he planned to do next.When Ronaldo finally passed the ball away, his weight wason his standing left leg that took the force of the Frenchman's tackle.

Payet's right knee bumped hard into Ronaldo's left knee, and the pain was immediately obvious.Ronaldo tried to run off the injury, but repeatedly reacheddown with his right and left hands to gently press his knee.

The Portugal team doctors treated him once on the sidelines, then bandaged the knee to give greater support.Still, Ronaldo never looked comfortable and with 23 minutes on the clock, he raised an arm to signal to Portugal coach Fernando Santos that he could not continue.As Ronaldo was carried off ona stretcher by four stadium staff, first Santos then France coach Didier Deschamps cameacross and reached down to offer consoling pats with his hand.At Euro 2004, a teenaged Ronaldo cried on the field in Lisbon after the host Portuguese team lost 1~0 to Greece.He left his team behind to pulloff a similar upset against favored France on Sunday.








Source: India_dot_com

loading...