Tears make Ronaldo legendary

Ronaldo once shed tears when Portugal lost the match.

On July 4, 2004, the Da Luz stadium in Lisbon seemed to explode. Portugal, with its talented “golden generation” – Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Deco – entered the EURO final on their home turf with strong belief in their first championship in history.

But football is always cruel. Greece, a team not highly rated, created a historic shock with a resilient defensive strategy and the only goal of Angelos Charisteas.

When the final whistle blew, the image of a young man collapsing in tears entered the memories of millions of fans - 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, tasting the pain of defeat for the first time.

From Lisbon shock to desire to win

Ronaldo had just finished his first season at Manchester United. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari saw him as a bold gamble, but the young man quickly proved the right choice.

Ronaldo scored in the opening match – Portugal lost 2-1 to Greece – and continued to shine in the semi-final against the Netherlands with an exemplary header. Figo, the great senior, saw Ronaldo as the image of a “successor”, always encouraging him to confidently show his talent.

However, in the final, all of Portugal's efforts were in vain. They possessed exquisite technique, youth and burning desire, but could not penetrate the disciplined Greek defense.

When the match ended, Ronaldo burst into tears. It was not just the tears of a young player, but also the pain of an entire nation thirsting for glory.

The biggest difference in Ronaldo is his attitude towards failure. He does not allow himself to fall. The pain of Lisbon that year became the driving force that molded a resilient person, constantly obsessed with victory. Euro 2004 was the beginning of the journey to build a football legend.

Now, Ronaldo - at the age of 40 - is a world football legend.

12 years later, when EURO 2016 took place, Ronaldo was no longer the boy he used to be. He stepped onto the field as captain, the number one symbol of Portuguese football. And history smiled on Ronaldo.

This time, Portugal overcame hosts France with Eder's thunderous long-range strike in the final. Ronaldo shed tears, but they were tears of triumph - even though he had to leave the pitch in the first half due to injury.

Milestones of adulthood

Looking back at EURO 2004, Ronaldo's journey was like a symphony filled with emotions. In the opening match against Greece (1-2), he came off the bench and scored his first goal for the national team - even though it was just an honorary goal. In the victory over Russia (2-0), Ronaldo entered the field in the 78th minute, showing his enthusiasm and desire.

In the crucial match against Spain (1-0), in his first start, Ronaldo left his mark on the wing with his daring sprints. In the quarter-final against England (2-2, winning 6-5 on penalties), he successfully kicked a penalty, showing the spirit of a fearless player.

In the semi-final against the Netherlands (2-1), Ronaldo opened the scoring with a powerful header. In the final against Greece (0-1), despite playing the full 90 minutes, Cristiano was powerless against the Greek "wall" and ended in tears.

Those moments clearly depict a young but passionate Ronaldo - slicked-back hair, an imperfect body, but eyes always burning with faith.

Even as he gets older, Ronaldo doesn't want to stop.

More than two decades on, the image of the boy in the No. 17 shirt crying on the Da Luz pitch remains an icon. It is a reminder that every glory is forged from bitter defeat. Without the pain of 2004, there would be no CR7 with five Ballon d'Ors, a series of scoring records and global icon status.

Those tears were not just sadness, but the starting point of an extraordinary journey. Ronaldo turned failure into motivation, tears into fuel to reach the top. He not only won for himself, but also took Portuguese football to unprecedented heights - proving that today's failure can be the foundation for tomorrow's glory.

Source: https://znews.vn/nhung-giot-nuoc-mat-lam-nen-huyen-thoai-ronaldo-post1571075.html