Cristiano Ronaldo’s hit and tears leave Liverpool fans furious over ‘murders’

Liverpool fans were furious with Cristiano Ronaldo after the veteran striker missed a penalty won by Diogo Jota and started crying.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner missed a penalty in extra time as Portugal battled Slovenia in the round of 16 during Euro 2024. Ronaldo instantly broke down in tears and had to be consoled during the 30-minute break – minute, which ended goalless.

Ronaldo had a lucky escape as Portugal went on to win on penalties to book their place in the quarter-finals, where they face France on Friday. But frustrations surrounding Ronaldo have been ongoing throughout the tournament, and not just from Liverpool fans.

Many supporters believe that Ronaldo’s play is actually hindering the Portuguese national team, one that boasts one of the most talented rosters in the competition. In each game, both Jota and Goncalo Ramos looked brilliant when coming off the bench, both being natural replacements for Ronaldo.

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Liverpool fans really lost it after Jota won a penalty to save the day for Portugal before Ronaldo picked up the ball and missed the chance. Ronaldo, caught offside, ruled out a goal scored by Jota earlier in the tournament as Portugal battled the Czech Republic in the group stage.

“The fact that Jota doesn’t start instead of Ronaldo is outrageous he literally has their best striker,” one fan wrote on social media. Another added: “Jota does so well to create a penalty only for Ronaldo to miss it.”

“Starting Jota is a crime,” said one fan. Another angrily wrote: “If Portugal were serious about winning the Euros they would have left Ronaldo for Jota. He is the single main reason they won’t come close to winning it.”

Ronaldo kept his place in the starting line-up during Euro 2024, despite not scoring a goal and missing several chances, and is often seen as the weak link in a talented Portugal attack. The 39-year-old still wants to perform at the highest level and believes he is still the best in the world, but his performances suggest otherwise.

His tears on the field spoke volumes, almost as if it was an acknowledgment to himself that he was no longer the finisher he once was. Ronaldo is the top international goalscorer in football history, but he doesn’t seem to be scoring at Euro 2024 despite having more chances in front of goal every game.

Portugal struggled after winning their first two matches, losing 2-0 to Georgia before a tense stalemate against France. Head coach Roberto Martinez went straight to Ronaldo after Portugal progressed to the next round, but he faces a major crisis ahead of Friday’s game as missed chances against France are likely to lead to elimination from Euro 2024.