LUSAIL, Qatar — For 18 years, society's unceasing obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo had lifted him onto an untouchable pedestal. It sucked media and brands into his orbit. It prompted squeals and selfies from fans wherever he went. It kept him in Portugal's starting lineup amid drama and alleged crimes, and even amid underwhelming soccer, until, on Tuesday night here at the Lusail Stadium, at long last, the pedestal crumbled and Ronaldo fell.
, but they had no choice but to back their captain."We're happy to know we can still count on him," Bernardo Silva said.
But it was nonetheless a massive one. Ronaldo, no matter what he did on and off the field, has drawn rapturous cheers whenever he's been shown on TVs or big screens here in Qatar.was the man whom the stadium emcees have obsessed over, turning his trademark"SIU" celebration into a call-and-response chant with thousands of unconditionally adoring fans.
He was, for 70 minutes, just another player, just another reserve, running amid teammates down the sideline to celebrate Ramos’ first goal. But the obsession continued. “Ronaaallll-do,” fans crowed in unison in the second half. “Ronaaaallll-do!” When he emerged from the dugout to enter the game as a 73rd-minute substitute, fans greeted him with a roar roughly as loud as the ones that had greeted goals.
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