Portugal defeated Poland 3-1 in the Nations League on Saturday, with former Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 133rd goal for his country.
Cristiano Ronaldo has received appreciation for his elegant move of letting a fan take a selfie with him after breaking into the pitch.
The former Manchester United player scored his 133rd goal for his country on Saturday during Portugal’s hard-fought 3-1 victory over Poland in Warsaw, setting a record. At the 26-minute mark, Manchester City forward Bernardo Silva gave Roberto Martinez’s club the lead. After Rafael Leao came close to scoring, Ronaldo scored their second goal.
Piotr Zielinski gave Poland a late second-half comeback goal, but Southampton defender Jan Bendarek’s tragic own goal in the closing seconds made the score 3-1. Ronaldo was taken off the field in the 63rd minute and was replaced by Diogo Jota, a striker for Liverpool.
Before security could step in, a young fan ran from the stands and got to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as the 39-year-old was leaving the field.
With a composed gesture, Ronaldo put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and told the guards to hold back. The great forward did not consent to the child being escorted away by security until the photo was taken.
Supporters praised Ronaldo’s acts on social media, writing things like “Ronaldo is keeping it classy” and “He’s always thinking of the fans.” The third fan said, “That’s legendary!” in response to the occasion. It’s great when athletes express their support for the supporters.”
Portugal’s perfect record in the Nations League this year was preserved thanks in large part to Ronaldo’s goal, which also put them on track to advance to the knockout stages in March. Following Ronaldo’s substitution, Poland started to settle into a rhythm, with Robert Lewandowski just missing a header before Zielinski scored.
In addition, the home team was upset because they were not given a penalty in the build-up to Bednarek’s own goal. Martinez justified his choice by saying, “It’s part of managing players when you have two games in 72 hours,” as Portugal prepared to meet Scotland in Glasgow on Tuesday.
“Diogo Jota had a great start. Cristiano is flawless. It was a great first half. We dominated play, generated chances, synchronized well as a team, effectively countered Poland’s advantages, and scored some fantastic goals. The new players that have joined are good; it appears that they have multiple caps for their country.”
“Giving up a goal was a tough moment, but it was fantastic to witness the response and score another one. All in all, an excellent performance. Two away games are the challenge. 72 hours, making a full recovery. The players at Football City [in Lisbon] gave their all in practice and in the classroom.”