Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo: Tears to triumph for Portuguese in dramatic penalty shootout win against Slovenia
![](https://i3.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_sport/fdf4/live/75c06630-3805-11ef-95b2-f70ad89d6d3e.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Portugal’s talisman experienced every emotion imaginable in 120 minutes.
He is still yet to score at Euro 2024 and was in the spotlight throughout the match, showing his emotions and frustrations as he missed numerous chances.
His entrance had been greeted with a huge roar from the Portugal fans – the same supporters who chanted his name when his penalty was saved by Oblak.
At the other end, Slovenian supporters jeered, let off flares, banged drums and celebrated each time his efforts missed the target.
Despite 20 shots on goal in the tournament – the most by any player – he is yet to find the net. To make matters worse, he has missed three of his nine penalties at major tournaments.
“We all know that Cristiano is the hardest worker,” said goalkeeper Costa, who was the hero on the night.
“I understand how frustrated he is because he devotes all his time to this. It’s a pleasure and an honour to be on the same team as him.
“We’re a family, I really think this. I focus on making the best of these chances and I wanted to help the team. This is the most important thing.
“This is probably the best game of my life.”
As his frustration grew through the night, Ronaldo fell to his knees, looking at the sky, pleading for luck to come his way.
He roared in frustration and air-punched the ground when crosses flew over his head, as he tried everything to become the oldest goalscorer at a European Championship.
With every free-kick that came and went, he has now scored just one of the 60 direct free-kicks he has attempted at major international tournaments, the desperation grew.
Later, he turned to supporters and waved his arms frantically, asking for more noise and praying for them to not give up.
When his spot-kick was saved, Portugal fans sang “Viva Ronaldo” after his emotional outburst was shown on the big screen in the Frankfurt Arena.
Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin reacted in disbelief on BBC Radio 5 Live: “He missed a penalty kick. He shouldn’t be in tears.”
But when he eventually scored in the shootout, there were no flamboyant celebrations, just a nod to the fans behind the goal and an apology.
“It’s hard enough going up to take a penalty anyway, but taking one in that situation when you’ve just missed a penalty at such a crucial time… unbelievable,” said former England striker Alan Shearer on BBC One.
“This is why they are great players – because they have great mental strength.
“I think there are a couple of occasions where 10 years ago there’s no doubt he would have got on the end of it. It has been a Ronaldo show, though, hasn’t it?”
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, added: “Psychologically, we saw the tears and we saw the professionalism [to step up and score in the penalty shootout].
“It was remarkable from Costa. They relied upon him. Cristiano Ronaldo… It wasn’t about him tonight. It was about that man [Costa].”
Sports
Football gossip: Arsenal have Riccardo Calafiori bid rejected
![](https://i2.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_sport/4841/live/9d99d190-3982-11ef-a044-9d4367d5b599.png?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Barcelona want to sign Spain forward Dani Olmo, 26, from RB Leipzig and are trying to agree a payment plan to meet his 60m euro (£51m) release clause. (90 Min), external
Brazilian winger Willian has rejected the offer of a new contract at Fulham. Clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey are interested in the 35-year-old. (Mail), external
Paris St-Germain midfielder Ethan Mbappe, brother of France striker Kylian, is set sign a long-term deal at Lille. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Manchester United are keen on re-signing Tottenham’s 27-year-old Spain defender Sergio Reguilon, who spent the first half of last season on loan at Old Trafford (AS – in Spanish), external
Everton are interested in 22-year-old Cameroon defender Jackson Tchatchoua, whose club Hellas Verona want 8m euros (£7m). (TuttoMercatoWeb – in Italian), external
Atalanta are set to sign Italy midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, 25, on loan from Galatasaray with an obligation to buy. (Gazzetta dello Sport), external
Barcelona would be willing to sell Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo and Brazil winger Raphinha this summer in order to sign Athletic Bilbao’s 21-year-old Spain forward Nico Williams. (SportsMole), external
Chelsea are keen on Nottingham Forest’s 21-year-old Brazilian defender Murillo but think his £60m price tag is too high. (Football London), external
AC Milan’s 26-year-old France defender Theo Hernandez is closing in on a £51m move to Manchester City. (Manchester Evening News), external
Chelsea’s England midfielder Conor Gallagher, 24, is reluctant to relocate to the Midlands to join Aston Villa as he waits on a potential new contract at Stamford Bridge. (Telegraph – subscription), external
Sports
Mark Cavendish earns Tour de France immortality with 35th stage win
![](https://i1.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_sport/126a/live/e2028120-3995-11ef-9f53-61c90fd80b96.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Since drawing level with Belgian legend Merckx in 2021, Cavendish has had to deal with a knifepoint robbery and the uncertainty of finding a new team at the age of 37.
There was also the bitter disappointment of leaving the Tour with a broken collarbone 12 months ago, while injuries and depression contributed to him not winning once during 2019 and 2020.
Yet here he is in his 15th Tour, displaying the confidence of the rider who was virtually impossible to beat between 2008 and 2012 when he claimed 23 stage wins, including four on the Champs-Elysees.
“Without the Tour de France cycling does not exist,” Cavendish said in his 2023 Netflix documentary, Mark Cavendish: Never Enough.
With 35 victories out of 215 completed stages he also has a strike rate of almost one in six.
It is a remarkable feat for a rider who has been described as having a sharp tongue and fiery temper by former team-mates – and as a “pain in the ass” by the straight-talking Vasilis Anastopoulos, who worked with Cavendish at Quick Step and is now head of performance at the Manxman’s current Astana Qazaqstan team.
The Greek coach has been credited by Cavendish for helping rejuvenate his career during their time together at the Belgian Quick Step team, and for playing a pivotal role in his 2021 and 2022 success at both the Tour and Giro d’Italia.
Cavendish’s former lead-out man Mark Renshaw is now Astana’s sporting director.
“He’s amazing. He’s just like a fine wine who gets better and better,” Renshaw said of the sprinter.
“The team had so much confidence in him and they had that all year. We’ve changed the team to look after him and he has been mega committed.
“I don’t know how many days he’s been with his family but this year it has not been many and that is the type of commitment you need.”
Sports
England vs New Zealand: Lauren Bell takes five wickets as hosts secure series clean sweep
![](https://i1.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_sport/9043/live/0f61fb00-396e-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Lauren Bell’s career-best 5-37 set up England’s five-wicket win over New Zealand in the third one-day international at Bristol.
After afternoon rain delayed the start and reduced the game to 42 overs a side, the White Ferns were restricted to 211-8.
England slipped to 33-3 in reply but were rescued by Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones’ fifth-wicket stand of 90.
Sciver-Brunt finished with 76 not out and Jones made a run-a-ball 50 as England got over the line with 20 balls remaining.
The win secures a series clean sweep for England, with a five-match T20 series to follow, starting at Southampton on Saturday.
England’s triumph was instigated by Bell, 23, who bowled Sophie Devine for 43 for her first wicket, breaking a crucial third-wicket stand of 68 between the New Zealand captain and Amelia Kerr.
Kerr was then pinned lbw for 57, New Zealand’s only half-century of the series, before Brooke Halliday was caught behind for 31 and both Izzy Gaze and Lauren Down were caught at mid-on.
It was the visitors’ highest total of the series after being skittled for 156 and 141, but they still lost a flurry of wickets with four for 27 falling at the end of the innings.
An impressive powerplay with the ball then saw England’s middle order exposed for the first time this series, with Tammy Beaumont trapped lbw for a duck, Heather Knight caught and bowled for nine and Maia Bouchier falling for 19.
Sciver-Brunt was dropped on 63 shortly after Jones’ departure in the 31st over which added a few nerves, but she eventually paced her innings to perfection with Alice Capsey, unbeaten on 35, to calmly steer them to victory.
-
African History5 years ago
A Closer Look: Afro-Mexicans 🇲🇽
-
African History5 months ago
Black History Facts I had to Learn on My Own pt.6 📜
-
African History5 years ago
A Closer Look: Afro-Mexicans 🇲🇽
-
African History1 year ago
Major African Tribes taken away during the Atlantic Slave Trade🌍 #slavetrade #africanamericanhistory
-
African History1 year ago
Cameroon 🇨🇲 World Cup History (1962-2022) #football #realmadrid #shorts
-
African History5 months ago
Black History Inventors: Mary Kenner 🩸
-
African History1 year ago
PROOF AFRICAN AMERICANS AIN'T FROM AFRICA DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE
-
African History1 year ago
No African pre-Columbus DNA? 🤯🤯 #history #mesoamerica #mexico #african