For Ronaldo fans out there, here’s another chance to see their idol take the helm of the Portugal team against a resurgent Croatia.
To be honest, supporters of Portugal are mainly avid followers of Ronaldo.
One wonders if they will cheer for this side if CR7 hangs his boots.
Any mention of Portugal takes us back to 1966, when their talisman, Eusebio, scored nine goals at that tournament becoming the highest scorer, and took Portugal to their all-time best third place at football’s biggest arena.
For decades, the tales of Eusebio dominated football folklore, giving him the status of a demi-god.
Then came Ronaldo, the footballer plus the heartthrob of many ladies.
In 2008, Manchester United was among the most followed club around the globe and a younger Ronaldo was its lynchpin.
With United, he won both the Premier League and UEFA, bagging the Ballon D’or.
Within the Dhaka University campus, most girls adored Ronaldo while the guys desperately wanted to be like him.
They followed Ronaldo’s hair style, worked out religiously to develop a physique like him and some, who played football, later began celebrating goals in the CR7 style.
One such Ronaldo freak is Mazharul Islam Mithun, senior sports journalist for Independent TV, a regular football player who dribbles too much and also a widely acclaimed sport vlogger.
Although Portugal did not show much of a flair this time, Mithun’s support is steadfast and while others were slamming Ronaldo for appearing lacklustre in the first matches, Mithun vociferously expressed his trust in the player, saying: “Ronaldo will be riveting when the time comes.”
Tonight, Portugal will be taking on Coratia, a team which has better World Cup results than their rival.
The coats became runners up in 2018, and secured third place twice, in 1998 and 2022.
If you haven’t forgotten, that third spot came after beating a rejuvenated Morocco.
This means, Croatia cannot be taken lightly at all.
The beginning may have been a little rickety but at the knock-out stage, they will be firing on all cylinders.
This is possibly the last World Cup for Ronaldo and, therefore, the team will want to achieve something.
As Mazhar Mithun says: “other teams like France, Argentina, England are supporting their key players, like Mbappe, Messi and Kane, but I feel, Ronaldo is not getting enough team support.”
If he gets the full team behind him, Portugal will stir up a storm, adds Mithun.
So, will it be a Portuguese triumph or a Croat hurrah?
Well, instinct tells me, this may not go to the penalties.
