Cristiano Ronaldo: Ex-Teammate Rips Into Popular Theory of How Portugal Won Euro 2016
- Cristiano Ronaldo's influence in inspiring Portugal to Euro 2016 glory has been pushed aside by his former teammate, Jose Fonte
- Ronaldo is widely remembered for 'coaching' his teammates in the final against France after being forced off with an injury
- The five-time Ballon d'Or winner endured a torrid time at Euro 2024 in Germany as he exited without scoring a single goal
Cristiano Ronaldo's former teammate, Jose Fonte, has stirred controversy with his latest comments about the Portugal icon.
Portugal rose to the top of European football in 2016 after beating France in extra time to win the Euros.
Source: Getty Images
The then-Real Madrid striker was forced to watch most of the match from the bench after sustaining an injury in the early stages of the contest.
What Ronaldo did during the Euro 2016 final
Known for his competitive nature, Ronaldo couldn't keep calm when the game went into extra time. He joined manager Fernando Santos on the touchline as he animatedly barked instructions to his teammates.
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An Eder strike in the 109th minute was enough to separate the two sides to help Ronaldo win his first major silverware for Portugal.
His actions on the touchline have often been credited with inspiring his teammates to victory - something Fonte has now denied.
The veteran defender, who currently plies his professional trade with Braga, lasted the entire 120 minutes of the final.
Speaking on the Legends Lounge, Fonte revealed that they did not take cognizance of whatever Ronaldo was saying and doing on the touching. The 40-year-old also admitted that they only learnt of their captain's antics by rewatching match footage after they had won the game.
"Listen, we were focused on trying to win the game. Only after [the match] when we watched the images, that's when we realised what was happening with him and the coach."
How did Ronaldo perform at Euro 2024?
The comments come at a time when Ronaldo was the target of stinging criticism following Portugal's elimination from Euro 2024.
The Selecao bowed out at the hands of France in the quarter-finals. Ronaldo failed to find the back of the net in any of their games in Germany.
Emotional Ronaldo misses crucial penalty
Legit.ng had previously reported that Ronaldo's Euro 2024 campaign took a dramatic turn when the Portuguese captain was left distraught after seeing his penalty saved in extra time against Slovenia.
The match remained goalless after 90 minutes, and the tension escalated when Portugal were awarded a penalty late in the first period of extra time.
With the chance to put his side ahead, Ronaldo stepped up confidently, only to see his effort superbly saved by Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, a former league mate in Spain.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
