Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo tore off his armband in frustration and went down the dressing room after his superb last minute goal against Serbia was chopped off.
The game ended in a 2-2 draw but the result could have been much different if the Ronado’s goal stood.
Ronaldo’s strike was deemed to have not fully crossed the line, leaving Serbia celebrating after salvaging a draw from two goals down.
Television replays showed the ball had clearly already crossed the line and Ronaldo was wheeling away in celebration but the festivities were cut short by the ref.
Cristiano Ronaldo walked off the pitch before the final whistle at the end of the Serbia-Portugal game, and threw his captain's armband in frustration. pic.twitter.com/I2i9uwkPhM
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 27, 2021
After the cancellation of the goal, Cristiano stormed off the pitch before the final whistle, tossing his armband onto the touchline in frustration. He received a yellow card for his protests.
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MTN Pulse Bundle – GOAT – Messi – Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/XFRPgnYQGa— Real Block Boy 😎(🇺🇸/🇳🇬/🇲🇼) (@theonlymmiri) March 28, 2021
Incidents like that have been very rare in recent years, especially after the deployment of goal-line technology.
The system was first introduced in World Cup 2014 and helps referees determine whether the ball has fully crossed the line.
If that is the case, the referee’s watch buzzes, indicating a goal.
Neither the VAR nor goal-line technology are being used in the qualifiers, however, and Ronaldo had to fully rely on the referee’s call.
He broke his silence after the game where he claimed ‘a nation was being harmed’.
“Being captain of the Portugal team is one of the greatest privileges of my life and fills me with pride,” Ronaldo said. “I always give and will give everything for my country, that will never change.
“But there are difficult times to deal with, especially when we feel that an entire nation is being harmed.”
