No event escalates individuals to the status of national hero or global villain as dramatically as the World Cup. The idolatry that follows success and the stigma that follows failure are woven into the fabric of history, and the repercussions will typically follow footballers for the rest of their lives. Daily, we’ll take a look at who played the role of hero and who played the role of villain at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Heroes and Villains of the World Cup: Matchday Two
Hero: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Hat-trick number in the career of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Another record too - he is now the oldest player every to score three times in a World Cup match. #UCL pic.twitter.com/WePz64nw8G— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 15, 2018
Earn a penalty, convert the penalty.
#MundialTelemundo Así narró @AndresCantorGOL la anotación por la vía penal de @Cristiano para el 1-0 de #POR sobre #ESP pic.twitter.com/R4M5uAIoqL
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
Your boys throw away the lead, so get it back again.
#MundialTelemundo Con error de @D_DeGea así narró @AndresCantorGOL el doblete de @Cristiano para poner al frente a #POR sobre #ESP pic.twitter.com/WvR3T2KamS
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
Find your team trailing by one, earn a free kick, convert the free kick (and make sure it's one of the greatest free kicks in World Cup history).
#MundialTelemundo ¡Un pedazo de gol! Así narra @AndresCantorGOL el "Hat-trick" de @Cristiano para el empate de #POR sobre #ESP pic.twitter.com/FuJVNrzL2n
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
That’s what is refereed to as putting the team on your back. Portugal would’ve hardly troubled Spain without Ronaldo, but as it stands, the European champions now have a clear pathway to the Round of 16, and Spain vs. Cristiano Ronaldo was perhaps the greatest group stage match of all time.
In the process, Ronaldo has entirely changed his personal World Cup narrative as well. Before this match Ronaldo had scored only three goals in 13 appearances — those being solitary strikes against Iran (’06), North Korea (’10) and Ghana (’14). Now the story is: “Cristiano Ronaldo stands alongside Pele, Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose as the only player to ever score at four consecutive World Cups. He is truly the world’s best.”
It’s funny how things change like that.
Honorable mention: Jose Gimenez (Uruguay)
Uruguay needed it; Uruguay deserved it; Jose Gimenez earned it. Surrounded by a sea of Egypt defenders, the Atletico defender rose above it all to nod in the later winner for la Celeste. It was courageous as all hell. Both Gimenez and center back partner Diego Godin were monsters throughout.
#MundialTelemundo Así narró @sadovnik1965 el gol de @JoseMaGimenez13 que tiene al frente a #URU sobre #EGY pic.twitter.com/2GS6idTVO1
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
Villain: Aziz Bouhaddouz (Morocco)
Morocco certainly didn’t deserve to lose to an Iran side that failed to muster a shot in the second half, but a thumping 95th-minute own goal from Bouhaddouz has almost certainly doomed the Atlas Lions to a group stage exit.
He just planted this one in his own net, and now he’s been ostracized for 10 years like in ancient Athens.
#MundialTelemundo Así narró @CopanAlvarez el autogol de Bouhaddouz que le dio la victoria a #IRN sobre #MAR pic.twitter.com/heKRAKv87h
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
Honorable mention: Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
If not for the late heroics of Gimenez the blame for Uruguay’s struggles against Egypt could be placed entirely on the Barcelona striker. Suarez missed three gilt-edged chances while also acting like a total chucklehead.
#MundialTelemundo ¡ La que se ha perdido @LuisSuarez9 ! @Melshenawy le impide el primero de #URU sobre #EGY pic.twitter.com/dz7mzBbk3A
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 15, 2018
Let it be known that on this day Luis Suarez tried to eat a whole dick for his country #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/A5G9BwYDxK
— JFK (@joefranciskiaga) June 15, 2018
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