‘It hurts the most when…’ Cristiano Ronaldo’s answer won the hearts of the fans, the legendary player showed his hunger for victory

Portugal took a strong step towards the quarter-finals by defeating Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32 match of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Team captain after this match Cristiano Ronaldo A statement is becoming increasingly viral on social media, in which he told what troubles him the most as a player.

After the match when he was asked It hurts more when a goal is canceled or when a substitute is made during the match.then Ronaldo gave such an answer which once again brought his passion and competitive thinking to the world.

“The saddest thing is when I am not in the starting eleven.”

Ronaldo said without any hesitation,

“I feel the most pain when I am not included in the starting XI of the team.”

His answer shows that despite approaching the age of 41, he still has the same passion for the game and his desire to take the field from the beginning for the team.

What happened in the match?

Ronaldo’s goal in the match against Croatia was canceled due to offside at the beginning of the second half. After this, he scored a penalty and gave Portugal an equaliser.

However, in the 81st minute of the match, head coach Roberto Martínez called him off the field. After this, Goncalo Ramos scored the decisive goal to give Portugal a spectacular 2-1 victory.

Emotional tribute paid to late teammate Diogo Jota

The victory of this match was also very special emotionally for the Portuguese team. Former teammates on July 3 diogo jota It was the first anniversary of his death.

After the match, Ronaldo said that the entire team wanted to dedicate this match to his late teammate.

They said that,

“We wanted to pay tribute to Jota in the best possible way. We wanted to win this match for him and we believe that he is still with us today.”

Emotional picture seen on the field also

Ronaldo looked very emotional after the match ended. he diogo jota on the field number 21 jersey He raised his hand and paid tribute to him. Other Portuguese players also remembered their late teammate during this period.

Pictures and videos of this emotional moment are becoming increasingly viral on social media and football fans around the world are appreciating this emotional tribute of Ronaldo and the Portugal team.

Portugal’s confidence increased with victory

After defeating a strong team like Croatia, Portugal’s confidence has increased a lot. The team has now started preparing for the next phase of the World Cup. With a great balance of experienced players and young talent, Portugal is considered a strong contender for the title this time.

This statement of Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a player’s reaction but a symbol of his unwavering dedication and hunger to win. His desire to play in the starting eleven shows that no matter the age, the competitive spirit and the drive to give the best for the team is still the same. The emotional tribute given to Diogo Jota made this victory even more memorable for Portugal.