Why did Cristiano Ronaldo not take Portugal's first penalty?
Posted Friday, June 30, 2017 by Marca.com
Portugal were defeated by Chile on penalties on Wednesday night without Cristiano Ronaldo getting the chance to score against Claudio Bravo.Leaving Russia and the Confederations Cup with a bitter taste in his mouth, the Real Madrid star has been at the centre of criticism for not stepping up to take the first penalty.
Contrary to popular belief, the decision was not solely the forward's as coach Fernando Santos and his staff decided to assign kick taker's order through the outcome of a draw.
The four-time Ballon d'Or winner lost that draw and in turn his nation lost the game, as his teammates proceeded to take the initial and decisive penalties.
Ricardo Quaresma stepped up to take the first before being stopped by an in-form Bravo who continued to prevent Joao Moutinho and Nani from converting their spot-kicks as Ronaldo watched on helplessly.
Had the outcome of the draw differed, then the result of the semi-final could have certainly changed as Ronaldo would have been likely to step up and convert the first penalty.
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