Despite the emotional outburst after the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo was happy with the win. Ronaldo took only two questions from the media. The head coach of Ghana wrote a tough text for a longer period of time.
24.11. 23:02•Updated 24.11. 23:06
At the FIFA World Cup, emotions really heated up in the struggle between Portugal and Ghana.
Portugal won 3–2 after dramatic stages. One of the most talked about situations was seen when the game had been played for a good hour. Cristiano Ronaldo fell easily in the penalty area. A penalty kick was whistled for Portugal. Match referee Ismail Elfath didn’t even check the video.
Ronaldo certainly shot the ball into the goal and gave Portugal a 1-0 lead. Ronaldo made history with his goal, as he became the first man to score in five different World Cups.
Ghana’s head coach Otto Addo went to the post-match press conference really hot about the situation.
– It was really a wrong decision. We played ball. I don’t know why VAR didn’t intervene. I can’t find an explanation, Addo uploaded.
Addo had asked Fifa officials if he could talk to the referee calmly and get an explanation.
– They said that the judge was in a meeting and that is not possible, Addo said.
– If someone scores, I congratulate. But this was a real gift. A special gift from the judge.
After Ronaldo’s goal, Portugal was already on its way to a clear victory. At the end of the actual playing time, however, Ghana Osman Bukari narrowed the score to 2–3 with a header. In addition, Bukari imitated Ronaldo’s trademark ventilation.
Still in the last moments of the match Inaki Williams was to surprise the Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa after cunningly lurking behind him. However, Williams slipped and couldn’t get the shot off before Portugal’s defenders had time to intercept.
After the match, Ronaldo let his goalkeeper hear his praise. After the match, the Portuguese appeared in front of the media, but the press conference of the Portuguese, who was awarded the best of the match, lasted only two minutes and twelve seconds. The 37-year-old accepted only two questions.
The first was Ronaldo’s historic goal.
– It was a beautiful moment. This is my fifth World Cup. We won and started off on the right foot. We got an important victory. It is essential in the first game, Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo also made World Cup history in another way in the match. He became the second player in World Cup history to score a goal in the Games as a player without a contract. The previous one was Argentinian Alberto Tarantini in 1978.
Ronaldo and Manchester United parted ways this week. Ronaldo had harshly criticized the club before his contract was terminated. The Portuguese talent was asked about his break with United.
– That chapter is already closed. I’m just focusing on the World Cup. Nothing else is important. Portugal is important now, Ronaldo stated.
Ronaldo will probably play the last World Cup of his career, as will Argentina, who have long dominated the football fields with him Lionel Messi. A funny moment was seen in Ronaldo’s penalty kick, when a sheet from Messi was immortalized in the fan photos.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos received quite a bit of praise after the game. In addition to his goal, Ronaldo also provided one hit for Portugal.
– Cristiano is a phenomenon, he is a legend, Santos said.
– We were still talking about him 50 years from now.
In Santos’s opinion, the penalty was also correct.
– If VAR says that the referee should look at something, then he goes to look, Santos stated.
– If VAR didn’t call the referee, it was because they saw the pictures and thought there was nothing to see.