Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up on his viral moment of tears at EURO 2024.
Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed why he was overcome with emotion after missing a penalty for Portugal at Euro 2024.
Ronaldo was reflecting on the moment he missed a 105th-minute penalty against Slovenia in the Round of 16.
Speaking with Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel, Ronaldo opened up on the emotions he experienced in the aftermath of that miss.
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Ronaldo explains reasons for tears at EURO 2024
"I cried the day I missed the penalty, even though I thought Oblak made a great save," Ronaldo admitted.
He clarified that his tears weren't solely due to the pressure of the moment or the potential consequences for Portugal's campaign.
"When I cried, it wasn't because I felt that if I missed and if Portugal were eliminated, the world would collapse on me. It's not because of that.
"Imagine in the last 27 penalties, you score. I missed, and in that moment, I didn't even think about myself."
Ultimately, Ronaldo's emotional response was driven by a sense of responsibility to his team, his family, and the fans.
"The people who come to the stadium, your kids, your mom, your girlfriend, everyone. I felt sad and i cried because of that."