Try the powerful search:
Selected WPSN searches:
Football Soccer Formula 1 Rugby Racing Golf Blogs Tennis
Can Cristiano Ronaldo Lead Portugal to Euro 2016 Success This Summer?
Published: June 5, 2016
Twelve years ago, a 19-year-old Ronaldo helped Portugal reach the final of the European Championship.
This was a different Ronaldo: slimmer, less muscular and even less confident on the ball. But his raw talent was still obvious, and it helped take the hosts Portugal to their first final of a major competition.
Emerging from the shadows of Luis Figo as his country’s most important player, Ronaldo earned a place in the team of the tournament, and he scored twice, including when Portugal beat the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
It meant Portugal arrived for the final at the Estadio da Luz along the streets of Lisbon crammed with excited fans who appeared to already be hailing them as the winners. It was fate. This was their moment.
Of course, there would be no happy ending, and in the tournament’s biggest-ever shock, it was instead Greece who became champions with a 1-0 win.
This proved to be a devastating loss for the young and tearful Ronaldo, but it seemed that a player with his genius would soon win a tournament.
Since then, Ronaldo has won every trophy he possibly could in club football with Manchester United and Real Madrid, as well as his three prized Ballon d’Ors, but a trophy on the international stage has so far proved beyond him.
Ronaldo has got close, taking his country to semi-final appearances at both the 2006 World Cup finals and the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, but he has failed to repeat the success of 2004.
Having already turned 31, time could be running out for Ronaldo, who would dearly love to win this tournament to help him jostle for an even better place in the pantheon of football’s greatest players.
In May, I interviewed the former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who told me how important Ronaldo's ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
Latest News
- Former England Manager Graham Taylor Dies at Age 72
- Bruce Arena Names USMNT January Camp Invitees
- Karamoko Dembele Makes England U15s Debut After Playing for Scotland in November
- USMNT Watch: Bobby Wood Nets 1st Bundesliga Goal Since September
- Rugby Player Bruno Andres Doglioli Banned 3 Years for Tackling Female Referee
Sponsors
Bruins Tickets
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.
Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.
San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.
Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.
Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.
NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!
Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.
New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.
Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.
Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!
Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.
Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.
San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.
Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.
Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.
Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.
NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!
Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.
New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.
Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.
Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!