Ronaldo is such an extraordinary player to still be playing football at the highest level 15 years later. After this match Ronaldo didn’t play the u-21 Euro because he was called up to the first team in which him and his team made the final of the actual euro but lost to Greece.
He was better than most premier league players at the time too. Go watch his games, he was getting past 2, 3 players, from Man Utd defensive midfield into attack from sheer pace alone.
That was a Euro 2004 u-21 qualifiers playoff second leg, in first match France won 2:1 so that is why it was a penalty shootout. Portugal go through but Cristiano can't play on the tournament (was in Germany) because he was at the first team and play at Euro 2004 at his country :) That's a little trivia for you.
J'étais présent au stade Gabriel Montpied ce soir là... une ambiance électrique, un stade rempli majoritairement de supporters du Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo nous avait fait vibrer... "Un futur crack" que je disais ! Et quel crack il est devenu... Après son tir au but victorieux on a failli renverser la grille qui séparait la tribune populaire de la pelouse ! Je n'oublierai jamais.
To remind you guys, this is a French team who defence includes Mexes, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thurram, Willy Sangyol and lastly the monster named Claude Makelele. Google those names once and then comeback to watch this video. Also he is just 17 at this time.
Nicolas Penneteau GK José Moreira GK Patrice Evra LB Mário Sérgio RB Bernard Mendy RB João Paulo LB Gael Givet RB Bruno Alves CB Philippe Mexès CB Ricardo Costa CB Matthieu Delpierre CB Raul Meireles CM Alou Diarra DM Ricardo Quaresma LW (in this game) Lionel Mathis CM Cristiano Ronaldo RW Benoit Cheyrou CM(C) Tiago CM Djibril cissé ST Hélder Postiga ST Habib Bamogo SS Hugo Viana CM
Why is every team so fucking dirty when they play against Portugal. Shoving, holding, dragging them down, shit tackles etc etc. it’s like that’s the only way they can compete with them
As a team, Portugal are brilliant! It must have been a good game live. The French are okay too. Not like the sissie England team who tried to kick Christiano out of their game...
