A Familiar Story with a Different Scorer
Portugal secured the three points, but the decisive moment came from an unexpected source. In the 22nd minute, it was João Félix who broke the deadlock. His shot from outside the box took a slight deflection off Welsh captain Ben Davies, wrong-footing
goalkeeper Danny Ward to find the net. The goal was enough to give Portugal a winning start in their group under new manager Jorge Jesus. For the home crowd at the Estádio José Alvalade, the victory was welcome, but the main narrative revolved around their captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, who was making his 234th appearance for the national team.
An Evening of Frustration for Ronaldo
This was not a classic, goal-scoring return for Ronaldo. It was a night defined by near misses and what could have been. The Portuguese attack, as it has for two decades, revolved around him, with the crowd's roar intensifying every time he touched the ball. Yet, despite his team's dominance and a host of chances, the goals wouldn't come for him. Throughout the match, he registered seven shots, more than any other player, but failed to find the back of the net. A free-kick flew into the wall, a volley went over the bar, and another effort was comfortably saved by the keeper.
The Goal That Wasn't
Ronaldo's most dramatic moment came just before the hour mark. After being played through on goal, he expertly slid the ball past the keeper and began his signature celebration, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside following a VAR check. The look of disbelief on his face told the entire story of his frustrating evening. Soon after, in the 67th minute, he was substituted, ending his night without adding to his record-breaking international goal tally. His Expected Goals (xG) value of 1.32 showed he was in the right positions, but it simply wasn't his night to score.
Still the Centre of Attention
Even without scoring, Ronaldo's influence was undeniable. He remained the focal point of Portugal's attack, constantly creating space and occupying defenders. His presence alone commanded the attention of the Welsh defence, which in turn created opportunities for teammates like Félix. After Ronaldo's departure from the pitch, Portugal's attacking rhythm noticeably dropped, and Wales nearly found an equaliser when a Brennan Johnson chip hit the crossbar. This demonstrated that even on a quiet night, his impact on the team's structure and confidence remains immense. He may be 41, but he continues to be the central figure around which this talented Portugal team operates.
