Conor McGregor backed friend Cristiano Ronaldo after he burst into tears during Portugal’s Euro 2024 last-16 tie with Slovenia.
Ronaldo was unable to capitalise on a golden opportunity to put Portugal ahead in the first period of extra time when he had a penalty saved by Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t contain his emotions after missing from the spotCredit: Getty
While Roberto Martinez’s men regrouped during the half-time break, the 39-year-old’s emotions got the better of him as the tears began to flow.
The Portuguese skipper had to be consoled by his teammates before heading out for the second half while his mother, Dolores Aveiro, wept from the stands.
In the end, Ronaldo made amends by netting a spot-kick during the penalty shootout victory, which booked Portugal’s place in the quarter-finals of the tournament against France.
Ronaldo’s emotional outburst led to an outpouring of support from several of his current and former teammates, as well as the biggest star in combat sports.
Former dual-weight UFC champion, McGregor, posted a picture of Ronaldo crying on his Instagram story, with the caption: “True passion for country! @cristiano you are the greatest football player to grace the earth!”
“God bless you brother! The past is glory! The present is history!”
McGregor and Ronaldo sat next to each other during the undisputed heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in May and appear to be good friends.
The Irishman lumped £60,000 on Ronaldo to finish as the Euro 2024 top goal scorer.
Conor McGregor and Ronaldo appear to be good friendsCredit: Getty
MMA’s biggest star threw his support behind Ronaldo after he burst into tears last night at Euro 2024Credit: Instagram – Conor McGregor
McGregor posted his betting slip on social media, with the caption: “60 G’s on Cristiano to retain his Euro Golden Boot. Siuuu!”
The bet would return him £900,000 at 14/1 odds but it seems unlikely it will pay off as Ronaldo has yet to score a single goal at the tournament.
Speaking after the Slovenia game, Ronaldo admitted he had hit ‘rock bottom’ during his last outing.
“Even the strongest people have their [bad] days. I was at rock bottom when the team needed me the most,” he said.
“Sadness at the start is joy at the end. That’s what football is. Moments, inexplicable moments. I feel sad and happy at the same time.
“But the important thing is to enjoy it. The team did an extraordinary job. We fought right to the end and I think we deserved it because we had more authority.”