Ronaldo’s still got game in his fifth World Cup
At 37, proves he remains a dominant force
• At37,cristiano Ronaldo is still one of the most dominant soccer players in the world.
The Portugal star was again front and centre in a 3-2 win against Ghana on Thursday at the Stadium 974 on Thursday, which was constructed from shipping containers and will be dismantled after the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament.
Ronaldo scored in his fifth World Cup, converting a penalty in the 65th minute, which set off a wild last 25 minutes of the contest. He is the first player to do it in the men’s game, matching the accomplishment of Canada’s Christine Sinclair in the women’s World Cup.
The penalty was awarded when Ronaldo was deemed to have been pushed over in the penalty area by defender Mohammed Salisu. The contact was minimal and the play was apparently not reviewed by the video assistant referee booth.
Ronaldo hammered his shot past Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi to give Portugal a 1-0 lead.
“It was a nice moment, scoring in my fifth World Cup,” Ronaldo said. “We won, we started on the right foot. It’s a very important win and we know that in these competitions the first match is crucial. To become the only (male) player to score in five World Cups is something that makes me very proud and I’m very happy the team got a good result; it was a tough game, but it was a good result.”
Currently without a club after mutually parting ways with Manchester United earlier in the week, Ronaldo is playing in his final World Cup. Like his rival Lionel Messi of Argentina, Ronaldo has won a continental championship with his country, but the World Cup title has eluded him.
“The most important thing is that we won today. This is a game that concluded the chapter of this week and now it is closed,” Ronaldo said. “We wanted to start off on the right foot and we did that by winning. I’m glad I could help my team and all the rest really doesn’t matter.”
A winner of five Ballon d’ors as the world’s best player — two behind Messi — Ronaldo will go down as one of the best of all time regardless of what happens here in Qatar.
On this night, he was mesmerizing, as is usually the case when he’s on the field. He probably should have scored in the first half when he climbed high above Salisu for a cross, but uncharacteristically headed the ball wide.
Later he shoved defender Alexander Djiku, took the ball away and slotted it into the net, but the goal was called off as he was charged with a foul
“He’s one of the best players in the world and there is no doubt he’ll go down as one of the best players ever,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos. “I think Cristiano is a phenomenon, a legend like many others have come and gone in football.
“In 50 years’ time we will continue to talk about him and that will be normal. He’s one of those player who we’ll always continue to speak about.”
Unlike at past World Cups, this time around Ronaldo seems to have a strong supporting cast around him. Had Portugal not had a fourth goal waved off on a marginal offside, it would have defeated Ghana comfortably.
They will also face Uruguay and South Korea in their final two group games. South Korea and Uruguay played to a scoreless tie on Thursday.
As good as Ronaldo was on Thursday, not everyone was enamoured with his performance. Ghana was still debating the legitimacy of the penalty awarded to the star. For all the reps Ronaldo does in the gym, he fell over pretty easily when leaned on by Salisu in a challenge for the ball.
“I think it was a really wrong decision; we are playing the ball and surely there is contact afterwards, but I don’t know why VAR didn’t come up, there was no explanation to me,” said Ghana head coach Otto Addo. “We were playing the ball and then there was contact between the players. I don’t know what they were doing.”
Ghana captain Ayew Andre scored to tie it 1-1 in the 73rd minute, but Joao Felix restored the Portugal lead five minutes later. Seven minutes after that, Portugal took a 3-1 lead through substitute Rafael Leo.
With the game seemingly in hand, Ronaldo was substituted out and had to watch helplessly as Ghana cut it to a one-goal game when substitute Osman Bukari headed in a cross to make it 3-2.
It proved to be a tense final few moments for Portugal, who almost gave the third goal away when goalkeeper Diogo Costa didn’t see Ghana forward Inaki Williams behind him and put the ball down.
Williams came around Costa, but slipped when trying to take the ball and couldn’t take advantage of the play.