Lisbon [Portugal], June 27 (ANI): Ahead of his side’s final league stage FIFA World Cup match against Colombia, Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo received a heartwarming message from his mother Maria, who expressed pride in her son’s record-breaking ways and wished him and the entire Portugal team luck ahead of the all-important clash.
After a return to form brace against Uzbekistan, Cristiano will be aiming to make his presence felt even more on the Golden Boot charts by adding a few more goals to his name. Portugal are in second place in their group with a win and a draw to their name, with four points, taking on top-placed Colombia, who have won both their games. It would be key for Portugal and CR7 to stamp their authority with a dominant win in order to seal the round of 32 spot.
In a heartwarming video posted by the official FIFA handle, Cristiano’s mother said, “Good afternoon. I am proud that my son continues to make history. I want to thank all the fans that have been by your side. You have given so much to the world. A kiss to you, my son. Your mother is always here for you."
“I want to thank everyone for the respect you have shown my son. I send kisses to Portugal and all the Portuguese fans! I hope football continues to bring people together. Go, Portugal! Kisses," she signed off.
Ronaldo was spotted training while wearing special golden-coloured shoes ahead of his side’s final group stage FIFA World Cup clash against Colombia, scheduled for Saturday.
As per ESPNFC, Nike are honouring Cristiano’s record of having scored in six successive FIFA World Cups, being the only player to do so, with the release of a special golden-coloured ‘Gold Scorpion’ Mercurial Superfly 11 shoe. On the shoe, his iconic moniker ‘CR7’ is printed in white.
During the match against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo led Portugal’s charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net. An own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov further compounded the misery for Fabio Cannavaro’s side as Roberto Martinez’s men secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.
Ronaldo’s brace saw him become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s record of nine. Eusebio, a Portuguese legend and 1965 Ballon d’Or winner, famously guided the team to third place at the 1966 World Cup. Behind Ronaldo and Eusebio, Pauleta is third on Portugal’s World Cup scoring list with four goals.
Ronaldo also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending his 10-match goalless streak across major competitions (the FIFA World Cup and the Euro Championship).
Portugal’s result came as a strong response after they were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening group-stage encounter in a performance that put Ronaldo’s team under scrutiny. The victory helped Portugal get their World Cup campaign back on track and significantly boosted their goal difference ahead of the final group fixture. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
