Ronaldo comforts disconsolate Pepe as Portugal’s veterans make cruel exit at Euro 2024

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — This time, they weren’t Cristiano Ronaldo’s tears.

As a substitute, the Portugal celebrity’s position was to console a weeping teammate after a painful exit from their final European Championship — and, who is aware of, doubtlessly their ultimate main worldwide event.

Pepe, a defender nonetheless excelling for his nation on the outstanding age of 41, was dejected as he sobbed on the shoulder of Ronaldo in a embrace lasting about 15 seconds following Portugal’s penalty-shootout loss to France within the quarterfinals in Hamburg on Friday.

Two Portugal stalwarts. A mixed age of 80. It was fairly the sight.

“Soccer may be very merciless,” Pepe stated.

Ronaldo cried himself at Euro 2024 — after having a penalty saved throughout additional time of the last-16 match in opposition to Slovenia simply 4 days in the past. He cried on the 2022 World Cup after Portugal misplaced to Morocco within the quarterfinals.

Possibly he was out of tears, as a result of this time he merely regarded into the sky, showing to be disillusioned and rueful.

Ronaldo shall be 41 when the subsequent main event rolls round — the 2026 World Cup, collectively held by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Can he stick round till then?

Effectively, he’s nonetheless captain of his nation — the holder of a males’s report 130 worldwide objectives and 212 worldwide appearances.

He’s nonetheless churning out full video games for his nation. The one time he didn’t full a match at Euro 2024 was within the group stage in opposition to Georgia, when he got here off within the 66th minute with Portugal assured of advancing. He performed your entire 120 minutes in opposition to Slovenia and France.

And he nonetheless clearly instructions the respect of his teammates and coach, Roberto Martinez.

But Ronaldo, who now performs his membership soccer out of the worldwide highlight in Saudi Arabia, has now gone eight video games and not using a objective in main tournaments. That takes in all 5 of Portugal’s matches at Euro 2024 and its ultimate three on the World Cup in Qatar.

He was virtually utterly shackled by France middle backs William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, with Ronaldo’s solely clear probability coming in additional time when he lastly escaped his marker however couldn’t hook a shot heading in the right direction from a cross from the correct.

Ronaldo transformed his penalty within the shootout nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient, After which he needed to tackle the position of comforter for Pepe.

“I gained’t say it publicly,” Pepe instructed TV station Canal 11, when requested what Ronaldo stated to him. “However we really feel it rather a lot. Opposite to what many individuals suppose, we really feel it rather a lot.

“We really feel the frustration of not profitable a recreation, of being eradicated in such an enormous competitors because the European Championship, understanding that we had numerous high quality to undergo. That’s the ache we really feel.”

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez echoed these ideas, saying “the tears are tears of frustration.”

“Once you play in opposition to higher opposition, there aren’t any tears however that is exhausting to simply accept,” he stated.

Martinez added that Ronaldo had but to make a name about his worldwide future, saying issues had been “too uncooked” and that Portugal was “struggling a defeat as a workforce — there aren’t any particular person choices at this level.”

Pepe was barely extra open, even when he nonetheless left issues unclear about his future.

“I’ll have the chance to talk sooner or later,” he stated. “I don’t wish to talk about it (now) as a result of tomorrow individuals may be talking about my future as a substitute of speaking about this course of.”

Ronaldo finishes his European Championship profession on a report 14 objectives. That’s 5 greater than his nearest rival, Michel Platini, who scored all of his at one event — Euro 1984 — together with two hat tips.

Ronaldo is the one participant to go to 6 editions of the European Championship. He had scored at each earlier than arriving in Germany.

Euro 2024, nonetheless, proved a event too far.

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AP Euro 2024: