I’m not a Cristiano fan either, but honestly, putting football, rivalry, statistics, and all the debates aside, I really loved the moment after his first goal.
At a time when Cristiano wasn’t exactly popular among his national teammates, Diogo Dalot was the one player who publicly defended him and spoke up for him in a press conference. Dalot has always been one of Ronaldo’s closest friends in the Portugal squad, and he’s said that himself before.
Today, when Cristiano scored, he didn’t run to celebrate with the fans or even with his teammates like he usually does. The very first thing he did was sprint toward the bench to celebrate with Dalot. Only after that did he join the rest of the team and the supporters.
This moment carries a simple life lesson:
You might forget people’s names, but you’ll never forget those who stood by your side during the hardest moments of your life.