Ronaldo shows his value to Man Utd after shock FA Cup exit
Robin Bairner
- 5 Feb 2022 09:03 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester United were surprisingly beaten by Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Friday, with Cristiano Ronaldo notably missing the target with a penalty in normal time before the Red Devils were knocked out of the competition via a lengthy shootout.
It was not Ronaldo’s night. The Portuguese endured a frustrating time in front of goal and after the visitors had hit back via a controversial equaliser after Jadon Sancho had given Man Utd the lead, he was unable to influence the game.
And yet, even amidst this adversity, he managed to show his value to the Old Trafford side.
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He did this by displaying the steely resolve that has made him a five-time Ballon d’Or winner as he strode up to take a penalty in the shootout. A miss would have left Man Utd just one mistake from the exit door, yet he was utterly unperturbed by putting his previous kick off target and proceeded to blast his effort into the top corner.
Ultimately, it was a contribution that was worthless as Middlesbrough scored goal after goal from the spot and eventually the home side blinked when teenage sensation Anthony Elanga spooned his effort over the top.
Ronaldo the role model
In this moment of heartbreak – the missed kick likely means that Man Utd will endure another season without silverware – Ronaldo’s class again came to the fore.
Elanga was visibly upset by his miss. He covered his face and appeared to be on the very of tears.
Having been comforted by several team-mates, it was Ronaldo who came up to him after these painful first moments and quite literally put his arm around him. The pair walked off the field together, with Ronaldo imparting his advice to Elanga as to how to overcome such a setback.
This must have been a difficult moment for the Portuguese, too. He is a player who craves success and seeing the kick sail high would have been a painful blow to him, and yet he still had the wherewithal and understanding to speak to the Swede.
Given Elanga would have seen in the previous two hours how Ronaldo bounced back from penalty disappointment, he could scarcely have been offered a better role model.
Ronaldo’s future at Manchester United has been placed in doubt in recent weeks, but his contribution on and off the field remains invaluable.
