Mr. Burns

[Ike @ValerieUTD]

It was never supposed to end like that.

Paris. July 10th, 2016. Stade de France. The Euro final. Portugal vs France. The biggest night of Cristiano Ronaldo's international life.

He was 31. He had already lost one final on home soil at 19, crying as a boy in 2004. For 12 years he carried that scar. This was redemption. This was his last real chance to give his country something no Portuguese team had ever given before.

He wanted that final so badly it hurt.

Rewind 18 days. Lyon. Hungary 3-3 Portugal. Portugal were going out in the group stage. Humiliated. Ronaldo had missed a penalty against Austria. The press was killing him.

And then he did what only he does. Two goals. An assist. A backheel flick that defied physics. He dragged a broken team, by himself, into the knockout rounds. Without that masterclass against Hungary, there is no final. There is no trophy. Portugal were dead, and he brought them back to life.

Rewind again. July 6th. Lyon again. Semi-final vs Wales. Bale vs Ronaldo. The two most expensive players in the world. 50th minute. The cross comes in. Ronaldo hangs in the air — that impossible hang time, like gravity forgot him — and bullets a header into the net. 1-0. Then 3 minutes later, his shot is turned in by Nani. 2-0. Portugal are in a final after 12 years. He took them there. He scored the goal that took them to Paris.

So of course he was going to play the final. Of course. Even if his body was broken.

Minute 8. Payet. That tackle. Knee on knee. Not malicious, but heavy. Ronaldo goes down. You see his face. This isn't play-acting. This is real pain.

He gets up. He tries to run. He can't.

Minute 16. He goes down again. The Portuguese physios run on. They tape his knee. You can see him saying "I'm going to stay, I'm going to stay."

He gets injected? They spray, they strap. He tries again. Limping. Trying to sprint on one leg.

Minute 20. He tries to continue. He signals to the bench. He can't. The tears start to come. He knows. He knows his final is over after 25 minutes. After everything — after Hungary, after Wales, after 12 years of waiting.

Minute 25. The stretcher comes. He puts his hands over his face. He doesn't want people to see him cry. But we all saw. A moth lands on his eye, like even nature wanted to comfort him.

He is carried off. The little boy who cried in 2004 is now a man crying in 2016. He thought it was gone. He thought his dream died with his knee.

But what happened next is why he is Cristiano Ronaldo.

He didn't go to the dressing room. He didn't hide. He stood on the touchline, with his knee strapped, barking orders like a manager. He became the coach, the captain, the fan. Every tackle, he shouted. Every Portuguese attack, he pushed.

And when Eder scored in the 109th minute, he fell to the ground and screamed like a child.

He left the pitch as a player. He won the final as a leader.

He couldn't walk, so he willed his team to win for him.

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Omah_Sam03 @thedebuthub He don go rest before zino career rest self

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@stack0o Hand dey meet werey see list now 😂😭😭

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Tyneeclassique1 @SeyiVibezChart @seyi_vibez See bio 😂

[𝖉𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖊🦠 @Divin1111]

If chelsea win today,let me be barren for life🙏. Full trust in bournmouth💯.

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@little_amk @salv_2k @AbsoluteBruno That how players warm up from the bench

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@LinQuaxp You still get am bro ?

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@TrustGod_M @stayEminent Even if dem use am you no go feel is presence in the game from opponent

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@IkemBryan57525 @Buchi_Laba Werey

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 SK542K

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 Industry plant 🙅🏾‍♂️

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@adelaniramon_ @Hassanadebayo87 Condemn iron

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 Start from Day 1 again

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 Sporty Masiah

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@kelly_ice21 @Ruby0361 At least in the next game I don get money for fire 🔥 up

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 Baba

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Ruby0361 You don later sleep 😕

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@Culerrrrrrr_10 @PolymarketSport He is good coach but he too dey do

[Mr. Burns @Mr__Burns_]

@kvnqchisom @AsakyGRN Nah only guy fit start conversation with Omo