Day 18 of Euro 2024 got off to a slow start as France scraped past Belgium to reach the quarter-finals. An own goal from Jan Vertonghen secured Les Bleus’ place in the last eight of the competition ahead of Portugal and Slovenia’s meeting in the evening game.
The theme continued throughout much of the night, with the second game petering out to an unforgettable 0-0 draw. That was until Cristiano Ronaldo missed a crucial penalty in extra-time, only to be saved by teammate Diogo Costa’s shootout heroics as Roberto Martinez’s side won 3-0 on penalties. With all the emotion and turmoil from an exhilarating end to day 18, these are some of the moments that fans may have missed.
William Saliba Sends Jeremy Doku to the Shops
French centre-back put in yet another excellent display
Although France have been having their fair share of problems in front of goal, one thing they haven’t had to worry about is their defence, and specifically William Saliba. Arsenal’s centre-back has been an absolute rock for Didier Deschamps’ squad, giving nobody a second to think when they’re on the ball in his presence.
But while he was at his imperious best against Belgium, it was a moment in attack which has got fans talking. Picking up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, Saliba was confronted by Manchester City trickster Jeremy Doku, but deftly flicked it past him before firing a shot at goal. He really is the whole package.
Mbappe Celebrates in Vertgonhen’s Face
The pair fought a hotly contested battle during the game
Mbappe was back on the pitch with his mask following an injury in the first game which left him with a broken nose. While he’s complained about his new equipment lately, it was something else entirely which was causing him problems against Belgium – Jan Vertonghen.
The pair clashed during the game over something, but it would be the French attacker who had the last laugh. After Randal Kolo Muani’s effort deflected in off the Belgian, French players wheeled away in delight, including Mbappe. He did, however, make a diversion towards Vertonghen, celebrating in his face to rub salt into the wounds. Brutal.
Kevin De Bruyne Fumes At Question
The Manchester City midfielder was asked about Belgium’s golden generation
France’s victory meant that Belgium were sent packing from the tournament, signaling yet another disappointment from the Red Devils. Over the last decade, the likes of Roberto Martinez and current boss Domenic Tedesco have failed to get the best out of what has been dubbed ‘the golden generation.’
Star man Kevin De Bruyne was asked about this failure after the full-time whistle, and gave a strong rebuttal:
“You say that France, England, and Spain and Germany aren’t a golden generation? Thank you.”
The midfielder exited the media room muttering that the question was stupid underneath his breath.
Slovenia Fans Mock Cristiano Ronaldo With Lionel Messi Shirts
Fans were seen waving Argentina jerseys
Cristiano Ronaldo was a man on a mission for Portugal against Slovenia. Having scored in the last five European Championships, the Portuguese captain is desperate to score in a record-breaking sixth consecutive competition, but failed to find his mark during the group stages.
As the 39-year-old’s frustration grew, he also found himself on the receiving end of some brutal mockery by different sections of the Slovenian fans. Footage has gone viral online of one young supporter waving an Argentina shirt with Ronaldo’s biggest rival, Lionel Messi, draped across the back. Needless to say that if the striker saw this, his annoyance would only have grown.
Speed’s Reaction to Ronaldo’s Penalty Miss
Portuguese icon was in tears afterwards
The drama involving Ronaldo did not end there, though, with Portugal’s leading man at the heart of their last 16 tie against Slovenia. The iconic number seven missed several free-kicks during the tie, but was handed the perfect opportunity to score his first goal of the tournament when Diogo Jota was fouled.
However, Ronaldo would see his spot kick saved by Jan Oblak, and he shed so many tears afterwards. While he was inconsolable on the pitch, one of his fans, Speed, was in shock that the forward had missed. Having chanted the 39-year-old’s name prior to the incident, he was crestfallen afterwards.
BBC Sport Graphic Savagely Mocks Ronaldo
Broadcaster labelled him ‘Misstiano Penaldo’ during a break
While commentators were in shock over Ronaldo crying over his missed penalty, the team at the BBC used his low moment for their own gain. During a brief break in extra time when there was a moment for analysis, replays of Jan Oblak’s save were shown on repeat, only with a slightly interesting twist.
Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the clip had been labelled ‘Misstiano Penaldo’ by someone covering the game, as the BBC rubbed salt into Ronaldo’s wounds. Unfortunately for them, the forward would step up to convert his penalty in the shoot-out to ensure his team advanced to the quarter-finals.
Sadio Mane Shows Support For Ronaldo
Mane responded to his teammate’s crucial miss
Whilst members of his national team attempted to cheer him up on the pitch, one of Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammates was quick to post their reaction to his miss on social media. Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star, Sadio Mane, lines up alongside the forward at club level and showed his support for his heartbroken colleague.
Taking to Instagram, the Senegalese international shared a picture of himself watching Ronaldo in tears and accompanied it with the caption ‘you remain a great champion!’ The legendary attacker will be hoping to channel all of his elite mentality to bounce back in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Calmness Ahead of Penalty Shoot-Out
Having missed a penalty already, it would have been easy for Ronaldo to shirk away from taking one in the shoot-out following extra-time. But he showed his character, stepping up to take Portugal’s first spot-kick and cooly slotting it away to give his side an advantage against Slovenia.
The calmness with which he took the penalty, though, was the big talking point, and it has been highlighted by a viral tweet. According to metrics collected by Whoop, who tracked Ronaldo’s heart rate during the game, the lowest it ever reached was when he stepped up to take the penalty. Although he might have been the most composed man inside the ground at that point, he will certainly have been relieved to have found the back of the net that time around.