Cristiano Ronaldo: The football version of David Bowie

Ronaldo has done it at the very highest level, and he now has more goals in the World Cup and European Championship combined — 20 — than any other player

Wed, 23 Jun, 2021 - 22:41

Gerry Cox

Cristiano Ronaldo has done in football what David Bowie did in his musical career – regularly changing his persona, achieving hit after hit, and creating records — and for most of Wednesday night’s draw with France it looked like the Portuguese hero would be bringing his own brand of stardust to Wembley.

It was only once Germany equalised for the second time against Hungary in the 81st minute of their game in Munich that Portugal went from second to third in Group F, meaning their Wembley date with England has been switched to a showdown with Belgium in the last 16.

Ronaldo’s career path has taken different turns but the trajectory has been no less stellar than Bowie’s.

The flying winger who rose to fame as a teenager at Manchester United became a more mature all-round player at Real Madrid, and now at 36, is a penalty box and penalty spot specialist.

He has also progressed from golden boy to leader of his country, who still have a chance to retain their title as European Champions after this remarkable draw in Budapest against the World Champions.

Portugal’s goals came from Cristiano, of course, both penalties that took him to 109 international goals, equal with Ali Daei of Iran, who scored against substantially inferior opposition for most of his career.

Ronaldo has done it at the very highest level, and he now has more goals in the World Cup and European Championship combined — 20 — than any other player.

He is also chasing the Golden Boot at Euro 2020 with five goals so far, having won the Silver Boot at Euro 2016 as Portugal won their first major trophy.

Much of this game in Budapest looked like a throwback to five years ago, when France fell short as hosts of Euro 2016 and Ronaldo led his country to the title, with his throne as King of Portugal threatened only by Renato Sanches the young pretender.

Sanches was so impressive as a teenager in 2016 that he earned a move to Bayern Munich, but when he failed to settle, went on loan to Swansea City, where he also struggled.

He is back on form now, however, helping Lille to the French title in the past season, and causing all sorts of problems for France in a first-half that Portugal dominated and would have won but for the vagaries of VAR and the eccentricities of Antonio Mateu Lahoz.

The Spanish referee has a reputation as a maverick and a man of conviction, and everything about his body language said there was no way he would change any of his controversial decisions, three of which led to penalties.

Ronaldo put both of his past Hugo Lloris without fuss, and Karim Benzema was just as decisive from the spot for France, despite missing his past three penalties for his country.

It was his first international goal for six years, and showed the importance of experience, which Kylian Mbappe would do well to absorb from his team-mate, and Ronaldo, who could yet become a club-mate if Paris St Germain are successful in signing him from Juventus.

Mbappe came into this tournament with great expectations and tipped by many to be the star of the tournament, but like Harry Kane for England, has yet to score or live up to his reputation. His most telling contribution on Wednesday night was a theatrical tumble that conned Lahoz into awarding France a penalty, but otherwise he was a peripheral figure.

Ronaldo was not exactly in the thick of the action for most of the evening, either, but he was decisive when called upon, and that is perhaps what Mbappe needs to learn.

And on the subject of big-name players who are underperforming, it was significant that Bruno Fernandes was dropped from Portugal’s starting line-up. The Manchester United midfielder’s form dipped in the closing weeks of the season and he has not lived up to his star billing for his country.

The two draws in Group F mean it will be Germany playing Wembley next week against England while Portugal must face Belgium, considered the strongest all-round side in the tournament, and ranked number one in the world.

It looks like Portugal’s mission impossible, but with Cristiano Ronaldo in your side, anything is possible.