Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised for angrily throwing his captain's armband to the turf and storming off the pitch after he was controversially denied a last-minute winner for Portugal.
Ronaldo believed his shot - deep into injury time against Serbia - had given Portugal a 3-2 win. But Stefan Mitrovic raced back to hook the ball away and the goal did not stand - despite images suggesting the whole of the ball had crossed the line.
Ronaldo was booked for his protests to officials. And - even before the referee blew for full-time - his frustrations got the better of him, as he chucked the armband to the turf and began walking off.
"So Ronaldo the great leader throws his captain's armband in frustration?" asked one football fan on Twitter.
"No true captain would do such a thing."
Another football fan replied: "Disgraceful from Ronaldo" to the footage.
However other football fans pointed out that Ronaldo was just furious that his side had been robbed of a win and a vital three points in a World Cup qualifier. So his reaction was wholly understandable.
Ronaldo throws the captain's armband and leaves the stadium and leaves before the end, after his ball skips the goal line in the last minute and the referee does not count the goal :flag_pt: pic.twitter.com/HWprOOXJuW
- Felix Boakye Agyemang (@CRUCIALQUALITY1) March 27, 2021
Ronaldo has produced heroics - and 102 international goals - for Portugal. So it seems unlikely this will sour his relationship with Portuguese fans.
However some will be disturbed to see the captain's armband left on the pitch as Ronaldo marched away.
Ronaldo's 103rd International goal in my book pic.twitter.com/PfJeO3yvz8
- :dizzy: (@Madridi7ii) March 27, 2021
Earlier in the evening, Liverpool's Diogo Jota had put Portugal into a 2-0 lead. But Serbia fought back through goals from Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and Filip Kostic.
The final score was 2-2. However Serbia seem to have been lucky to escape with a point in the end, as Ronaldo's stoppage-time shot should - it appears - have resulted in one final, decisive goal in the tie.
Clearly Ronaldo thought so - and could not contain his fury at the end.
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