Poor Christian reduced to appearance. The vain Mona Lisa ended up in the cellar – Football

LUSAIL – Sadder than a fado, which as he said Amalia Rodríguez, «you don’t sing, it happens». And so it happens. Go to the Louvre, look for the Mona Lisa, they tell you it’s in the cellar, but if you want instead of him, there’s a portrait of a promising centre-forward, just 21 years old, a rookie, called Goncalo Ramos. Oh and the Mona Lisa? On the bench, because lately she was too va

neat.

He believed he was irreplaceable. Cristiano Ronaldo, the most famous number 7 in the world and captain of Portugal is not a starter. They do without him, fame, and his five Ballon d’Ors. Go ahead, at 37 he is no longer indispensable. Cristiano must not have taken it well: he has already been replaced, Fifa has already taken away a header from him, and a teammate has already dared to say that without him we play better. It’s the first time in 14 years, after 31 starts. «Portugal benches Ronaldo», say the agency launches. Like they had taken the Eiffel Tower apart in Paris. Ronaldo arrives for the warm-up, perfectly clean-shaven (no one shaves like him) with the shiny skin of someone who knows everything about skincare products, looking into space. He sits on the bench, or rather he adjusts himself, several times, he is uncomfortable, of course, when has he ever visited her? He’ll think: old me?, but if he’s on the pitch Pepper who is 39.

Nobody can stand Ronaldo. Santos got bored too

by our correspondent Emanuele Gamba

05 December 2022

Not even the time a little nostalgia that Ramos, the very one there, newer than the Mona Lisa, the substitute in short, on an assist from Joao Felix, puts her inside with a violent blow from the left. He rejoices like a gunslinger, à la Suarez. He plays for Benfica, he is in his first World Cup, his second goal for the national team. They call it the feiticeiro, the sorcerer. They frame Ronaldo, a phlegmatic, indeed stony face. And Pepe, the one aged 39 and 9 months, what does he do to you when you jump high from a corner? Great header, Ronaldo’s house specialty. The Portuguese defender is on his 8th goal and becomes the oldest scorer of the national team (and the second in the history of the World Cup). This time, however, Cristiano runs to embrace him, he’s part of the old guard, he smiles at him, pats him a bit. Like when parties have a great time without you. And you say: good, good. But think: at least you could miss me a little. In fact he sits down, bites his nails, is nervous, when has he ever been on the bench at the World Cup? Never, never.

And then he hoped in his 5th World Cup to score in the final phase, which he has never succeeded so far. He hopes, perhaps in the second half, but soon stops dreaming because the substitute scores: a low cross from the right, Ramos attacks the front post and with his left foot Summer. If you spend a nice evening how do you regret the absence? That wasn’t enough, too Guerreiro puts it inside with the left.

Ronaldo disappears: from the shots, from the present of Portugal and who knows maybe even from the future. The alternate, the deputy, call him what you like, doesn’t stop scoring: assist from Felix, Ramos touches with his right foot and scores the third goal. Not bad for a rookie. It’s Portugal’s best game, coincidentally without Ronaldo. Will it be a coincidence? Or that (finally) without him, the team, frozen by his ego, has thawed? At 5-1 coach Santos decides that there are no more risks and Ronaldo comes on in the 73rd minute. The Mona Lisa, increasingly enigmatic, returns to its place. A deep pass, Ronaldo sprints and scores, but is offside. Not even the time to exalt and delude oneself. In recovery there is the magnificent goal by Leao. Mark this night. Ronaldo’s century has moved. He no longer sends signals.