BENDTNER’S FINE MESS

Euro Rewind...2012:

Cristiano Ronaldo was pants and Nicklas Bendtner was fined £85,000 for showing his in this gripping Euro 2012 encounter. Ronaldo had one of those days only lesser mortals normally suffer as his genius failed him.

The game was finely balanced with Bendtner having pulled a goal back to reduce Portugal’s lead to 2-1 when embarrassment struck for Ronaldo.

Twice he was presented with chances to seal Portugal’s win – and twice he missed.

His prolifigacy appeared to have cost Portugal when Bendtner headed home the equaliser 10 minutes from time.

Portugal were stunned and, having lost their opening Group B game to Germany, were in danger of being eliminated.

But for once, the roles were reversed as Ronaldo’s team-mates saved him and substitute Silvestre Varela fired home the winner just three minutes from time to salvage victory.

It was a dramatic finale to one of the most exciting games of the tournament, which was end to end throughout.

Portugal knew they had to win and their manager Paulo Bento took the shackles off his team.

They struck first through a very British set-piece routine, when Joao Moutinho swung in a corner to the near post, where Pepe headed home.

Tottenham flop Helder Postiga became only the sixth player to score in three different European Championships when he made it 2-0 before Bendtner nodded home to begin the Danish fightback.

Ronaldo should have snuffed out Denmark’s hopes when he was presented with two great chances by Nani, but he fluffed both. Two minutes later Bendtner headed home Denmark’s equaliser in his 50th appearance for his country to compound Ronaldo’s misery.

As Bendtner ran away in celebration, he pulled up his shirt and down his shorts to reveal he was wearing underpants promoting well-known betting company.

His joy quickly turned to despair when Varela netted the winner within three minutes of coming on to silence him and the Danish supporters. Portugal would beat Holland in their final match to progress as group runners-up, while Bendtner and Denmark lost to Germany and bowed out.

Bendtner’s stunt cost him dear as UEFA also banned him for one match.

“It was just a pair of lucky boxer shorts that I used in the first game as well and have used before the tournament,” Bendtner said, convincing no one.

“I didn’t know I was breaking any rules, but I’m aware of that now.”