Cristiano Ronaldo’s insight proved invaluable against ex-teammate Christian Eriksen during Portugal’s loss to Denmark.
Portugal ultimately fell short, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat, with Manchester United‘s Rasmus Hojlund netting the decisive goal that sealed their fate.
But the match featured several tense moments.
In the first half, Christian Eriksen saw his penalty saved by Diogo Costa, who dove to his right, parrying away the shot.
Before Eriksen’s penalty, previously unseen footage shows a potential tactical intervention by Ronaldo.
A video circulating on X captured the poignant moment Ronaldo whispered to Costa just before the penalty was taken.
Having played alongside Eriksen for two seasons and in 15 matches during his time at Old Trafford, Ronaldo’s possible insight into Eriksen’s penalty habits may have inspired Costa’s successful save.
However, this unexpected assist might just be considered Ronaldo’s most impactful contribution to the match.
His only other notable involvement came from a header that unfortunately sailed wide of the post.
Remarkably, Ronaldo also had the fewest touches (30) of any outfield player who played the full 90 minutes during the tie and didn’t manage a single shot on target.
Adding to the drama, Eriksen had another shot cleared off the line by his Red Devils teammate, Diogo Dalot, and a free-kick saved, as Denmark pushed for a breakthrough.
Their persistence ultimately bore fruit when Hojlund struck late in the game.
The victory felt richly deserved for Denmark and their new manager, Brian Riemer, who will head to Lisbon for the second leg with a sense of confidence.
Hojlund celebrated his match-winning goal by performing Ronaldo’s signature ‘sui’ celebration.
He later defended his actions, stating: “It was not to mock him or anything. I’ve always said he has had great importance for me and my football career.
“I’m playing against the world’s best footballer, my idol, and to score and become the match-winner, it couldn’t be better.
“Scoring against him and Portugal is huge; I went to see him in 2009, when he scored from a free-kick, and I’ve been a fan ever since.”
Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford ended in 2022 after a tumultuous falling out with manager Erik ten Hag, culminating in his contract termination following an interview with Piers Morgan.
He then joined Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia on a record-breaking deal, quickly making an impact and igniting a flurry of high-profile player transfers to the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo has won the Arab Club Champions Cup and finished 2023 as the world’s top scorer. In 2024, he shattered the Saudi Pro League scoring record.
Furthermore, he etched his name in history as the first player to top-score in four different leagues. He also equalled the record for most top-level matches played by a male professional footballer.
Now, the loser of the impending tie will find themselves entering Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group, which is rounded out by Greece and Belarus.
