BY FERNANDO KALLAS, REUTERS

“Time beat him. Time takes everybody out. It’s undefeated,” said Rocky Balboa in the film “Creed” and those words could easily be applied to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo who struggled to impose himself on their Euro 2024 last-16 game with Slovenia on Monday.

A tearful Ronaldo being embraced and comforted by team mates after missing a penalty in extra time that could have helped Portugal secure a spot in the quarter-finals before a shootout win is a cathartic image that stunned fans around the world.

Portugal won 3-0 on penalties minutes later, with Ronaldo converting the first spot kick and apologising to fans in the stands immediately after scoring before breaking down in tears following the game and being unable to finish an interview.

His tears showed more than just the sorrow or guilt of a player feeling the weight of responsibility from almost letting his country down. They were the tears of a frustrated player who expects greatness but was not the difference maker he once was.

During the 2022 World Cup Ronaldo said: “The best timing is my timing” as he arrived in Qatar with his career in turmoil, about to leave Manchester United to play in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo, a five-times Ballon D’Or winner, had arrived with a mission to prove he could still make a difference on the world stage. But he ended the tournament on the bench and had no impact as a substitute in the 1-0 quarter-final loss to Morocco.

After that defeat, the shocking image of Ronaldo running to the tunnel in tears as desolate as the football world had ever seen him was something Portugal fans were not used to.

But with long-time Portugal manager Fernando Santos gone and newcomer Roberto Martinez trusting him with the captaincy and a leadership role in a young and talented squad, Ronaldo was given another shot at glory in Euro 2024.

Despite being a model of longevity for more than two decades in an outstanding career, breaking numerous records and playing for some of the biggest clubs in the world, Ronaldo has been a shadow of his old self over the last two weeks in Germany.

Lacking the speed, explosion and agility that were his trademarks while pouncing on balls like a tiger to plunder goals in various ways that only he was able to, the 2024 version of Ronaldo has yet to score at this Euros after four games.

Against Slovenia, just as in the previous three games, his shooting was off kilter and his headers failed to trouble keeper Jan Oblak while his team mates seemed to be forcing the ball to him, disrupting Portugal’s tempo and slowing them down.

At 39, Ronaldo would have become the oldest player to score in a European Championship if he had netted his extra-time penalty but he failed to beat the excellent Oblak and instead of relief came desperation.

Martinez still trusted him to take the first penalty in the shootout and Ronaldo duly delivered to help Portugal stay alive at the Euros, with several records that he is still seeking.

They will face France in the quarter-finals with the world questioning whether Ronaldo’s brilliant international career is nearing an end. There could still be a happy ending for one of the world’s greatest ever players – only time will tell.

-Reuters

Spain recovered from a goal down to beat Georgia 4-1 for a spot in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, ending one of the tournament’s most compelling underdog stories.

Goals from midfielders Rodri and Fabián Ruiz brought Spain back into the game after Robin Le Normand’s own-goal in the 18th minute had given Georgia a shock lead. Nico Williams and Dani OImo took the game out of Georgia’s reach with two more goals late in the game as heavy rain fell.

Spain will play host nation Germany in the quarterfinals on Friday in Stuttgart.

The loss ends Georgia’s first ever major tournament campaign, which included a 2-0 upset win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Despite the lopsided score, Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had another standout game with nine saves to prevent a rout.

Spain had beaten Georgia 7-1 in qualifying last year, but this game was a close contest until the last 20 minutes and testament to Georgia’s rapid improvement under coach Willy Sagnol.

Playing its fourth game of Euro 2024, Spain had yet to concede a goal all tournament.

That soon changed when Otar Kakabadze surged down the right flank for Georgia and crossed low. Le Normand chested the ball past his own goalkeeper, with the defender apparently distracted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia arriving behind him to meet the cross.

Spain took its time to get back into the game, but Rodri — back from a one-game suspension — leveled the score in the 39th with a low shot from just outside the box.

Georgia remained a threat on the counter, including with an audacious shot from the halfway line by Kvaratskhelia, but Spain midfielder Ruiz made it 2-1 in the 51st when he rose unmarked to meet a cross from the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.

Needing a goal, Georgia had to open up its compact defensive formation and conceded twice more as Williams scored in the 75th and substitute Olmo eight minutes later.

After the final whistle, Georgia’s players gathered in front of their fans for a slow-clap chant reminiscent of another European Championship underdog — Iceland — when it beat England in 2016.

-AP

At 38 years and 289 days, Croatia’s Luka Modric has become the oldest player to score in the history of the European Championship when he scored in the 55^th minute in the last Euro 2024 Group B match with Italy.

He did that just after missing a penalty kick in the 54^th minute of the match played in Leipzig.

However, his heroic performance was not enough for Croatia as a goal, deep in the added time salvaged the game for Italy who tied the scores at 1-1 and advanced to the knockout stage.

Hitherto, games played on 24^th June had not been favourable for Italy since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.