James Milton: Portugal hope Ronaldo's showdown with Mbappe doesn't end in tears

The 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France was billed as Lionel Messi versus Kylian Mbappe and the star attractions did not disappoint.

Mbappe scored a hat-trick and Messi struck twice in a 3-3 draw before both men stepped up to convert the first penalty of the shootout for their teams.

Should we expect another epic thriller when Mbappe's France face Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the Euro 2024 quarter-final? Maybe have a saver on no goalscorer …

Ronaldo, like fellow superstars Messi and Mbappe, scored his side's first penalty in Monday's last-16 shootout against Slovenia.

That achievement was slightly soured by the fact that it was his ninth attempt at goal, including an extra-time penalty brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Ronaldo, as you may have seen, burst into tears after his penalty miss. Was that a petulant display of self-pity or the natural response of a perfectionist carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders?

BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball charitably described the reaction as "tears for Portugal rather than tears for himself".

For many observers, though, Ronaldo's waterworks offered further proof that he is an individual who has been painfully shoehorned into a team sport.

He has failed to score with any of his 20 shots at these Euros and Portugal have gone 210 minutes without finding the net in their last two games against Georgia and Slovenia.

As ever, when things aren't going well, Ronaldo comes to the fore, gesticulating at teammates and opponents, contesting the referee's decisions and attempting to score from increasingly ludicrous positions.

At the age of 39, he still seems to believe in working harder, not smarter. He wants to do it all himself. Such an approach might pay off for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League but it is self-defeating given that – whisper it – he is no longer the best player in the Portugal team.

That, of course, is impossible for Ronaldo to accept, despite Portugal's best performance in recent years coming when he was dropped for the 2022 World Cup last-16 clash with Switzerland.

They thrashed the Swiss 6-1 – a scoreline that Gareth Southgate would probably take this weekend – yet Ronaldo, no doubt infuriated by Messi's World Cup triumph, opted against retiring from international duty.

However, Messi's success in Qatar was a delight not because he did it all himself but because he adapted his game to bring out the best from his teammates.

His defence-splitting pass for Nahuel Molina's quarter-final strike against the Netherlands was one of the highlights of the tournament whereas the veteran Ronaldo is more likely to hinder his fellow forwards than assist them.

There have been glimpses of selflessness from the Portugal talisman at this tournament. He appeared genuinely pleased for young teammate Francisco Conceicao, who scored an injury-time winner against the Czech Republic, and set up Bruno Fernandes for a tap-in against Turkey rather than having a shot himself.

But it's remarkable that such incidents are remarkable as to borrow Roy Keane's catchphrase: "that's his job".

Ronaldo's extraordinary longevity and global celebrity make him a lightning rod for a variety of grievances. If you don't like Manchester United or Real Madrid or sportswashing or the obscene wages paid to footballers – or men weeping in public – then he is an obvious target.

And for all his wealth, fame and sporting excellence, there is something a little sad about watching late-era Ronaldo struggle to accept that his decades-long pursuit of footballing perfection is almost over.

Eden Hazard, touted as Ronaldo's replacement when he signed for Real Madrid in 2019, retired from football last year, declaring: "It's time to enjoy life with my family and friends, drinking a few Jupiler beers."

Retirement seems a far less enticing prospect for Ronaldo, who is six years Hazard's senior, and Portugal will be hoping that his reluctance to leave the stage doesn't end in tears.

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