Real Madrid suffered an almighty fright before a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick hauled them back from 2-1 down and gave them a 4-2 win over rank outsiders Kashima Antlers in the Club World Cup final on Sunday.

Two goals from Gaku Shibasaki stunned the European champions as the Japanese hosts took a 2-1 lead early in the second half before a Ronaldo penalty brought Real level on the hour.

The 11-times European champions then survived several more scares and a possible sending-off for captain Sergio Ramos before Ronaldo scored twice more in the first period of extra-time.

Real, who won the tournament for the second time in three years, appeared set for an easy victory when Karim Benzema gave them a ninth-minute lead but Shibasaki changed the story by levelling one minute before halftime.

(Reuters)

Los Blancos beat Japan's Kashima Antlers 4-2 to become world champions for the second time in three years

Real Madrid suffered an almighty fright before a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick hauled them back from 2-1 down and gave them a 4-2 win over rank outsiders Kashima Antlers in the Club World Cup final on Sunday. Two goals from Gaku Shibasaki stunned the European champions as the Japanese hosts took a 2-1 lead early in the second half before a Ronaldo penalty brought Real level on the hour. The 11-times European champions then survived several more scares and a possible sending-off for captain Sergio Ramos before Ronaldo scored twice more in the first period of extra-time. Real, who won the tournament for the second time in three years, appeared set for an easy victory when Karim Benzema gave them a ninth-minute lead but Shibasaki changed the story by levelling one minute before halftime. (Reuters)

Club World Cup: Ronaldo hat-trick helps Real Madrid win final

Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were on target as&nbsp;Real&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;eased past Mexico&#39;s Club America 2-0 on Thursday to reach the Club World Cup final in Japan.

The Spanish giants will face shock finalists and local favourites Kashima Antlers in Yokohama on Sunday as they look to capture their second world title in three years.

With Ronaldo firing blanks until the very end of the game, Benzema struck in first-half stoppage time, the Frenchman finishing clinically with the outside of his right boot after a deft pass from Toni Kroos.

Ronaldo, who won his fourth Ballon d&#39;Or earlier this week, had already squandered a gilt-edged chance by heading against the post.

The Portuguese superstar also had two fierce shots saved by goalkeeper Moises Munoz but finally found the net deep into injury time as&nbsp;Real&nbsp;extended their club record unbeaten run to 36 matches in all competitions.

(AFP)

Los Blancos eased past Mexico's Club America 2-0 to reach a step closer to being the best club in the world

Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were on target as Real Madrid eased past Mexico's Club America 2-0 on Thursday to reach the Club World Cup final in Japan. The Spanish giants will face shock finalists and local favourites Kashima Antlers in Yokohama on Sunday as they look to capture their second world title in three years. With Ronaldo firing blanks until the very end of the game, Benzema struck in first-half stoppage time, the Frenchman finishing clinically with the outside of his right boot after a deft pass from Toni Kroos. Ronaldo, who won his fourth Ballon d'Or earlier this week, had already squandered a gilt-edged chance by heading against the post. The Portuguese superstar also had two fierce shots saved by goalkeeper Moises Munoz but finally found the net deep into injury time as Real extended their club record unbeaten run to 36 matches in all competitions. (AFP)

Club World Cup: Real ride on Ronaldo, Benzema goals to enter final

Cristiano Ronaldo called it &quot;a dream come true again&quot; as he won his fourth Ballon d&#39;Or on Monday to get one over his nemesis Lionel Messi for the title of best player in the world.

It was the perfect ending to another fantastic year for the Real Madrid star, who won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and then led Portugal to their first major title at Euro 2016 -- albeit he went off early injured and in tears in the surprise victory over France.

As has been the case for almost a decade now, the 31-year-old&#39;s main rival was Messi -- but the Barcelona and Argentine maestro had to relinquish the crown after a less-than-stellar year for club and country by his lofty standards.

Ronaldo is now one Ballon d&#39;Or behind Messi, who was second this time with French striker Antoine Griezmann third.

Never one to play down his achievements, Ronaldo was spotted midweek in training having dyed his hair gold in anticipation and several media outlets published a photo earlier on Monday appearing to confirm he was the winner, before organisers France Football magazine made the official announcement.

&quot;For me, it&#39;s a great honour to receive my fourth Ballon d&#39;Or. The emotion is like the first one -- it&#39;s a dream come true again,&quot; Ronaldo, who is at the Club World Cup in Japan, told L&#39;Equipe TV.

&quot;I never thought in my mind to win four times the Ballon d&#39;Or, I&#39;m so pleased and so happy.

&quot;I have to thank all my team-mates, the national team, Real Madrid, all the people, the players who helped me to win this individual trophy.

&quot;I want to enjoy this moment because it&#39;s not easy to win this.&quot;

Fourth was Luis Suarez and fifth his fellow Barcelona attacker Neymar, with Ronaldo&#39;s Welsh team-mate Gareth Bale sixth.

&#39;Sensational year&#39;

Ronaldo was the firm favourite to win, but the prestigious prize comes at a time when the prolific forward has generated negative headlines in the past week over accusations of tax evasion.

Denying any wrongdoing, he responded by publishing his financial records last week, showing last year he earned a whopping 227 million euros ($240 million).

&quot;You believe I am worried? He who owes nothing&nbsp;fears nothing,&quot; Ronaldo told broadcaster RTP at the time.

Ronaldo, the highest-paid sportsman in the world, first won the Ballon d&#39;Or in 2008 after Premier League and Champions League triumphs with Manchester United.&nbsp;

But it was only in 2013 that he added his second -- Messi had hogged it before then -- and Ronaldo made it a hat-trick the following year.

United were quick to offer their congratulations on Twitter, calling a fourth Ballon d&#39;Or &quot;incredible&quot;.

Real said Ronaldo, who last month signed a bumper new five-year contract, had enjoyed &quot;a sensational year&quot;.

The first Ballon d&#39;Or was won by Stanley Matthews, at the time with Blackpool, who beat Alfredo Di Stefano for the inaugural title in 1956.

The Ballon d&#39;Or is decided by a vote of 173 journalists.

(AFP)

It was the perfect ending to another fantastic year for the Real Madrid star, who won the Champions League for the second time in 3 seasons

Cristiano Ronaldo called it "a dream come true again" as he won his fourth Ballon d'Or on Monday to get one over his nemesis Lionel Messi for the title of best player in the world. It was the perfect ending to another fantastic year for the Real Madrid star, who won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and then led Portugal to their first major title at Euro 2016 -- albeit he went off early injured and in tears in the surprise victory over France. As has been the case for almost a decade now, the 31-year-old's main rival was Messi -- but the Barcelona and Argentine maestro had to relinquish the crown after a less-than-stellar year for club and country by his lofty standards. Ronaldo is now one Ballon d'Or behind Messi, who was second this time with French striker Antoine Griezmann third. Never one to play down his achievements, Ronaldo was spotted midweek in training having dyed his hair gold in anticipation and several media outlets published a photo earlier on Monday appearing to confirm he was the winner, before organisers France Football magazine made the official announcement. "For me, it's a great honour to receive my fourth Ballon d'Or. The emotion is like the first one -- it's a dream come true again," Ronaldo, who is at the Club World Cup in Japan, told L'Equipe TV. "I never thought in my mind to win four times the Ballon d'Or, I'm so pleased and so happy. "I have to thank all my team-mates, the national team, Real Madrid, all the people, the players who helped me to win this individual trophy. "I want to enjoy this moment because it's not easy to win this." Fourth was Luis Suarez and fifth his fellow Barcelona attacker Neymar, with Ronaldo's Welsh team-mate Gareth Bale sixth. 'Sensational year' Ronaldo was the firm favourite to win, but the prestigious prize comes at a time when the prolific forward has generated negative headlines in the past week over accusations of tax evasion. Denying any wrongdoing, he responded by publishing his financial records last week, showing last year he earned a whopping 227 million euros ($240 million). "You believe I am worried? He who owes nothing fears nothing," Ronaldo told broadcaster RTP at the time. Ronaldo, the highest-paid sportsman in the world, first won the Ballon d'Or in 2008 after Premier League and Champions League triumphs with Manchester United. But it was only in 2013 that he added his second -- Messi had hogged it before then -- and Ronaldo made it a hat-trick the following year. United were quick to offer their congratulations on Twitter, calling a fourth Ballon d'Or "incredible". Real said Ronaldo, who last month signed a bumper new five-year contract, had enjoyed "a sensational year". The first Ballon d'Or was won by Stanley Matthews, at the time with Blackpool, who beat Alfredo Di Stefano for the inaugural title in 1956. The Ballon d'Or is decided by a vote of 173 journalists. (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon d'Or for fourth time

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho could have been involved in a multimillion-euro system of &quot;tax evasion and money laundering&quot;, according to leaked documents obtained by a number of media outlets.

A group of 12 European newspapers said it intends to disclose over the next three weeks the results of investigations into widespread alleged corruption at the heart of football under the banner &quot;Football Leaks&quot;.

Based on leaked documents obtained by German weekly Der Spiegel, the outlets claim that Real Madrid and Portuguese star Ronaldo could have &quot;hidden 150 million euros in tax havens in Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands&quot;.

Ronaldo, it is claimed, benefits from &quot;a system developed by his agent Jorge Mendes&quot;.&nbsp;

They cite two operations related to advertising revenue of the Portuguese star.&nbsp;

The first, between 2009 and 2014, could represent &quot;74.8 million euros via an offshore company called Tollin, registered in the British Virgin Islands&quot;, said the report released Friday.&nbsp;

&quot;He would have eventually declared a part of it,&quot; added the report sent to AFP by the Mediapart organisation.

&quot;The lawyers of the player told the (media) consortium that a Spanish tax audit aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo was still in progress,&quot; the newspapers said.&nbsp;

In the second operation, Ronaldo could have &quot;avoided 31 million euros of taxes&quot; according to these newspapers, making the most of &quot;12 days of an ultra-advantageous tax regime&quot; on his marketing rights for the period 2015-2020.

According to the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium, Manchester United manager Mourinho is said -- again via Mendes -- to have &quot;concealed 12 million euros in a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company.&quot;&nbsp;

It was &quot;subject to a tax audit in Spain... which resulted in a recovery of 4.4 million euros, penalties included&quot;.&nbsp;

Friday&#39;s first batch of leaks centred on &quot;a system&quot; put in place, according to the newspapers, by Mendes, the super-agent of Ronaldo and Mourinho.

The system overall would have accounted for a loss of &quot;at least 185 million euros of sponsorship income from the tax administrations through a network of offshore accounts and offshore companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and Switzerland&quot;.

In response, Mendes&#39;s company Gestifute said Friday that Ronaldo and Mourinho had &quot;fully respected their obligations vis-a-vis the Spanish and British authorities&quot;.&nbsp;

The company accused the media consortium of operating in an &quot;insidious&quot; way concerning the stars&#39; tax obligations.&nbsp;

It said that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho &quot;have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain&quot;.

(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

German weekly claimed it had obtained documents that the Real Madrid star could have 'hidden 150 million euros in tax havens'

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho could have been involved in a multimillion-euro system of "tax evasion and money laundering", according to leaked documents obtained by a number of media outlets. A group of 12 European newspapers said it intends to disclose over the next three weeks the results of investigations into widespread alleged corruption at the heart of football under the banner "Football Leaks". Based on leaked documents obtained by German weekly Der Spiegel, the outlets claim that Real Madrid and Portuguese star Ronaldo could have "hidden 150 million euros in tax havens in Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands". Ronaldo, it is claimed, benefits from "a system developed by his agent Jorge Mendes". They cite two operations related to advertising revenue of the Portuguese star. The first, between 2009 and 2014, could represent "74.8 million euros via an offshore company called Tollin, registered in the British Virgin Islands", said the report released Friday. "He would have eventually declared a part of it," added the report sent to AFP by the Mediapart organisation. "The lawyers of the player told the (media) consortium that a Spanish tax audit aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo was still in progress," the newspapers said. In the second operation, Ronaldo could have "avoided 31 million euros of taxes" according to these newspapers, making the most of "12 days of an ultra-advantageous tax regime" on his marketing rights for the period 2015-2020. According to the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium, Manchester United manager Mourinho is said -- again via Mendes -- to have "concealed 12 million euros in a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company." It was "subject to a tax audit in Spain... which resulted in a recovery of 4.4 million euros, penalties included". Friday's first batch of leaks centred on "a system" put in place, according to the newspapers, by Mendes, the super-agent of Ronaldo and Mourinho. The system overall would have accounted for a loss of "at least 185 million euros of sponsorship income from the tax administrations through a network of offshore accounts and offshore companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and Switzerland". In response, Mendes's company Gestifute said Friday that Ronaldo and Mourinho had "fully respected their obligations vis-a-vis the Spanish and British authorities". The company accused the media consortium of operating in an "insidious" way concerning the stars' tax obligations. It said that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho "have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain". (AFP)

Football: Ronaldo, Mourinho in 'tax evasion, money laundering' claims

Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s hat-trick delivered&nbsp;Real&nbsp;Madrid&#39;s first success over Atletico&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;in La Liga for three years with a 3-0 win in the last meeting between the sides at Atletico&#39;s Vicente Calderon.

Real&nbsp;now lead second-placed Barcelona by four points after the Catalans paid a heavy price for the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in a 0-0 draw with nine-man Malaga earlier on Saturday.

A third league defeat in four games leaves Atletico&#39;s title ambitions in tatters in their final season at the Calderon. Diego Simeone&#39;s men are now nine points adrift of&nbsp;Real&nbsp;down in fifth.

Ronaldo struck the decisive spot-kick as&nbsp;Real&nbsp;edged Atletico on penalties in the Champions League final in May and was the match winner once more, albeit with a slight hint of fortune.

The Portuguese&#39;s opener took a wicked deflection on its way past the excellent Jan Oblak.

Ronaldo doubled&nbsp;Real&#39;s lead from the penalty spot 19 minutes from time before a brilliant Gareth Bale cross teed him up for the simplest of finishes to complete his hat-trick.

Real&nbsp;were without six key players in captain Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema, but impressively controlled the first 45 minutes.

Only an incredible save by Oblak prevented Ronaldo opening the scoring with a towering header on 12 minutes that the Slovenian somehow clawed away low to his left.

Oblak made another smart save to deny Luka Modric moments later, but he was helpless for the opener as Ronaldo&#39;s free-kick was deflected behind him via the Atletico wall.

It took Atletico until the start of the second period to get to grips with the European champions, but came out a different side after the break.

Yannick Carrasco curled inches wide from the edge of the area before Antoine Griezmann blasted a shot across goal with no Atletico player waiting to knock to the ball into an unguarded net.

However, any hopes of an Atletico fightback were punctured when Stefan Savic upended Ronaldo inside the area and the three-time World Player of the Year dispatched the resulting spot-kick.

And with Atletico stretched at the back, a brilliant run and low cross from Bale on the counter-attack teed up Ronaldo to prod home at the far post.

(AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 37th hat-trick of his La Liga career to help his team go four points clear of Barcelona

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick delivered Real Madrid's first success over Atletico Madrid in La Liga for three years with a 3-0 win in the last meeting between the sides at Atletico's Vicente Calderon. Real now lead second-placed Barcelona by four points after the Catalans paid a heavy price for the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in a 0-0 draw with nine-man Malaga earlier on Saturday. A third league defeat in four games leaves Atletico's title ambitions in tatters in their final season at the Calderon. Diego Simeone's men are now nine points adrift of Real down in fifth. Ronaldo struck the decisive spot-kick as Real edged Atletico on penalties in the Champions League final in May and was the match winner once more, albeit with a slight hint of fortune. The Portuguese's opener took a wicked deflection on its way past the excellent Jan Oblak. Ronaldo doubled Real's lead from the penalty spot 19 minutes from time before a brilliant Gareth Bale cross teed him up for the simplest of finishes to complete his hat-trick. Real were without six key players in captain Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema, but impressively controlled the first 45 minutes. Only an incredible save by Oblak prevented Ronaldo opening the scoring with a towering header on 12 minutes that the Slovenian somehow clawed away low to his left. Oblak made another smart save to deny Luka Modric moments later, but he was helpless for the opener as Ronaldo's free-kick was deflected behind him via the Atletico wall. It took Atletico until the start of the second period to get to grips with the European champions, but came out a different side after the break. Yannick Carrasco curled inches wide from the edge of the area before Antoine Griezmann blasted a shot across goal with no Atletico player waiting to knock to the ball into an unguarded net. However, any hopes of an Atletico fightback were punctured when Stefan Savic upended Ronaldo inside the area and the three-time World Player of the Year dispatched the resulting spot-kick. And with Atletico stretched at the back, a brilliant run and low cross from Bale on the counter-attack teed up Ronaldo to prod home at the far post. (AFP)

Ronaldo hat-trick helps Real Madrid beat cross-town rivals Atletico

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday.

Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha&#39;s spectacular winner.

Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour.

Ronaldo&#39;s wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight &#39; even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend &#39; but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead.

&quot;We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects,&quot; said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

&quot;We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren&#39;t comfortable or easy.

&quot;But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do.&quot;Real&#39;s unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane&#39;s men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead.

The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time.

Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty.

Ronaldo&#39;s second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner.

The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time.

However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo&#39;s through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season.

And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time.

An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou.

&quot;It is clear it wasn&#39;t a brilliant match on our part,&quot; admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. &quot;Sometimes the players aren&#39;t machines.&quot;

Rafinha&#39;s overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada&#39;s deep-lying defence before the break.

Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga.

Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes.

Sandro Ramirez&#39;s stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico&#39;s two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann&#39;s flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break.

However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour.

Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga&#39;s deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time.

&quot;I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential,&quot; Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco.

&quot;Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker.&quot;

Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon.

(AFP)

The 4-1 win against Alves helped Real Madrid hold off Barca and Atletico in the La Liga standings

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday. Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha's spectacular winner. Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour. Ronaldo's wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight ' even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend ' but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead. "We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects," said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. "We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren't comfortable or easy. "But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do."Real's unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane's men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead. The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time. Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty. Ronaldo's second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner. The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time. However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo's through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season. And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time. An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou. "It is clear it wasn't a brilliant match on our part," admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. "Sometimes the players aren't machines." Rafinha's overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada's deep-lying defence before the break. Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga. Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes. Sandro Ramirez's stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico's two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann's flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break. However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour. Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga's deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time. "I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential," Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco. "Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker." Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon. (AFP)

Ronaldo hat-trick extends Real Madrid's La Liga lead

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his international return with four goals in a 6-0 mauling of hapless Andorra on Friday and then demanded eight more wins to guarantee Portugal a place in the 2018 World Cup.

The Real Madrid superstar took his Portugal career tally to 65 goals in 134 games but his team, the European champions, are only third in Group B, a point behind minnows Faroe Islands and three back from leaders Switzerland.

Only the group winners are certain of making the finals in Russia.

On Friday, the Swiss followed their opening 2-0 win over the Portuguese with a last-gasp 3-2 triumph at Hungary while the Faroes beat Latvia 2-0 in Riga.

&quot;We know that Switzerland and the Faroes won tonight and it will be necessary for us to beat them during qualification,&quot; said Ronaldo.

&quot;There are eight games left and we want to win them all to reach the World Cup finals.&quot;

Ronaldo, 31, was making his first appearance for Portugal since he was stretchered off injured and in tears from the final of Euro 2016, where his country beat France.

He wasted no time in making up for his three-month absence from international football, getting off the mark after just 73 seconds.

He was on target again two minutes later while adding two more after the interval.

&quot;I know that I am an important player and I have always done my best since I started my international career. I scored four goals tonight and obviously I am very happy to have come back after my serious injury in the Euros final,&quot; he said.

&quot;We knew that the first goal tonight would be very important because they are a team who defend with 11 players.

&quot;Things went well. We scored twice in the first five minutes and the match became a lot easier.&quot;

Portugal will be in action again on Monday when they travel to the Faroes.

(AFP)

Portugal now have three points from two games. The Euro 2016 champions had lost their first match to Switzerland

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his international return with four goals in a 6-0 mauling of hapless Andorra on Friday and then demanded eight more wins to guarantee Portugal a place in the 2018 World Cup. The Real Madrid superstar took his Portugal career tally to 65 goals in 134 games but his team, the European champions, are only third in Group B, a point behind minnows Faroe Islands and three back from leaders Switzerland. Only the group winners are certain of making the finals in Russia. On Friday, the Swiss followed their opening 2-0 win over the Portuguese with a last-gasp 3-2 triumph at Hungary while the Faroes beat Latvia 2-0 in Riga. "We know that Switzerland and the Faroes won tonight and it will be necessary for us to beat them during qualification," said Ronaldo. "There are eight games left and we want to win them all to reach the World Cup finals." Ronaldo, 31, was making his first appearance for Portugal since he was stretchered off injured and in tears from the final of Euro 2016, where his country beat France. He wasted no time in making up for his three-month absence from international football, getting off the mark after just 73 seconds. He was on target again two minutes later while adding two more after the interval. "I know that I am an important player and I have always done my best since I started my international career. I scored four goals tonight and obviously I am very happy to have come back after my serious injury in the Euros final," he said. "We knew that the first goal tonight would be very important because they are a team who defend with 11 players. "Things went well. We scored twice in the first five minutes and the match became a lot easier." Portugal will be in action again on Monday when they travel to the Faroes. (AFP)

World Cup qualifiers: Ronaldo nets four in 6-0 mauling of Andorra

Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanches were recalled&nbsp;to the Portugal squad after injury on Thursday as&nbsp;coach Fernando Santos urged the two to switch out of &quot;party mode&quot;.

&nbsp;

While naming his players for next month&#39;s World Cup qualifiers, Santos said his players were not fully switched on when they vegan their campaign with a 2-0 defeat in Switzerland,

&nbsp;

&quot;We have to get out of European champion mode, that party mode, that state of relaxation,&quot; Santos told reporters. &quot;That cannot happen again.&quot;

&nbsp;

&quot;We have to remember that the qualifying competition is very different from a tournament. We don`t have 50 days together and the sense of togetherness that goes with it,&quot; he added.

&nbsp;

&quot;We play once a month and then the players go back to their clubs.&quot;

&nbsp;

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<h5>I wouldn`t say the team is stronger just because Ronaldo is here but because the other players have played more, have worked more and have trained more. That was one of the problems of the match against Switzerland.&quot;</h5>
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The squad&#39;s captain, Ronaldo, and midfielder Sanches missed the Switzerland match because they had not fully recovered from injuries sustained during Euro 2016.

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But Santos added it was not just their presence that would make Portugal stronger. &quot;I wouldn`t say the team is stronger just because Ronaldo is here but because the other players have played more, have worked more and have trained more. That was one of the problems of the match against Switzerland.&quot;

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Portugal will host Andorra in Aveiro on October&nbsp;7 and visit the Faroes three days later.

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Santos called Faroes a &#39;very well-organised team&#39; and said&nbsp;they would play in a similar manner to Iceland, who held Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their opening match at Euro 2016.

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&quot;They are a very well-organised team. They will cause trouble and we have to be on our guard. If we respect them as we did with our opponents during the Euros, we will win; if we are not careful, we will be left with a bad taste.&quot; he told reporters.

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(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Portugal will host Andorra in Aveiro on October?7 and visit the Faroes three days later

Cristiano Ronaldo and Renato Sanches were recalled to the Portugal squad after injury on Thursday as coach Fernando Santos urged the two to switch out of "party mode". While naming his players for next month's World Cup qualifiers, Santos said his players were not fully switched on when they vegan their campaign with a 2-0 defeat in Switzerland, "We have to get out of European champion mode, that party mode, that state of relaxation," Santos told reporters. "That cannot happen again." "We have to remember that the qualifying competition is very different from a tournament. We don`t have 50 days together and the sense of togetherness that goes with it," he added. "We play once a month and then the players go back to their clubs." I wouldn`t say the team is stronger just because Ronaldo is here but because the other players have played more, have worked more and have trained more. That was one of the problems of the match against Switzerland." × The squad's captain, Ronaldo, and midfielder Sanches missed the Switzerland match because they had not fully recovered from injuries sustained during Euro 2016. But Santos added it was not just their presence that would make Portugal stronger. "I wouldn`t say the team is stronger just because Ronaldo is here but because the other players have played more, have worked more and have trained more. That was one of the problems of the match against Switzerland." Portugal will host Andorra in Aveiro on October 7 and visit the Faroes three days later. Santos called Faroes a 'very well-organised team' and said they would play in a similar manner to Iceland, who held Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their opening match at Euro 2016. "They are a very well-organised team. They will cause trouble and we have to be on our guard. If we respect them as we did with our opponents during the Euros, we will win; if we are not careful, we will be left with a bad taste." he told reporters. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Santos recalls Ronaldo and Sanches, asks players to get out of 'party mode'

Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted UEFA&#39;s 2015-16 Best Player in Europe for the second time in three years. His teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid&#39;s Antoine Griezmann came second and third respectively. 
 
&quot;We are really happy because two Real players were among the best in Europe,&quot; said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. 
 
Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Real who won the Champions League and finished runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga. 
 
The Portugal forward&nbsp;was instrumental in his team&#39;s Euro 2016 triumph.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Real Madrid who won the Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted UEFA's 2015-16 Best Player in Europe for the second time in three years. His teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann came second and third respectively. "We are really happy because two Real players were among the best in Europe," said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Real who won the Champions League and finished runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga. The Portugal forward was instrumental in his team's Euro 2016 triumph. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Ronaldo wins UEFA's Best Player in Europe for 2015-16

He has won it all at club level and has three world player of the year awards but on Sunday Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated as never before, with tears of joy streaming down his face after his Portugal beat France 1-0 to win the European Championship. 
 
Two hours earlier, there had been very different tears after he had been taken out of the game on a stretcher, just 25 minutes into the final at the Stade de France, his night over and his team left to fight on without their talisman. 
 
Portugal&rsquo;s triumph, thanks to a long-range goal in the second period of extra time by substitute striker Eder, was their first major trophy and will ease the memory of their painful loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final, on home turf in Lisbon. 
 
A 19-year-old Ronaldo had played on the wing in that defeat and he must have wondered if he would ever get a chance to make amends. 
 
&quot;I am very happy. I have been looking for this for a long time, since 2004. I asked God for another chance at this because we deserved it,&rdquo; he told reporters. 
 
&ldquo;Today I was unfortunate, I was injured but I always believed that these players, together with the strategy, would be strong enough to beat France,&quot; the Real madrid forward added. 
 
&quot;This is one of the happiest moments in my career, I always said I&#39;d like to win something with Portugal. For me this is an amazing unique moment for all Portuguese.&quot; 
 
Ronaldo&rsquo;s career has been a glittering combination of individual brilliance, multiple success at club level and constant comparisons with the other great player of his generation, Barcelona&rsquo;s Argentine forward Lionel Messi. 
 
Messi has famously never won a major trophy with his country and just a few weeks ago announced he was quitting his national team after their latest disappointment -- a Copa America defeat on penalties to Chile, with Messi missing his spot-kick. 
 
Now to add to three Premier League titles and a Champions League win from his time with Manchester United, a Spanish league crown and two Champions League triumphs with Real Madrid, Ronaldo has a major trophy with Portugal. 
 
He was right to credit his team mates and coach Fernando Santos&rsquo;s because while he may have been the man who got them to the final with his goal and assist in the last-four win over Wales, it was the squad who delivered his medal. 
 
&quot;It was tough to lose our main man,&rdquo; defender Pepe said. 
 
&ldquo;The man who could at any moment score a goal. He could make the difference but we were warriors on the pitch. We said we would win it for him and we managed to do that.&quot; &nbsp; 
 
Ronaldo had been on the field before extra time encouraging his team mates and goalscorer Eder said had made an impact. 
 
&ldquo;Cristiano told me I would be scoring the winning goal. He and all my team mates,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;He gave me strength and positive energy. And that goal was really important,&rdquo; he said. 
 
Ronaldo&rsquo;s critics have often pointed to his ego but Santos said his behaviour after suffering his injury had been exemplary.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Cristiano is an amazing example. Today he tried to remain on the pitch. He was very strong in the locker room, he helped all of the boys, that &#39;s the definition of teamwork.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

He cried as he was stretchered off 24 minutes into the game, and again when he lifted the trophy

He has won it all at club level and has three world player of the year awards but on Sunday Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated as never before, with tears of joy streaming down his face after his Portugal beat France 1-0 to win the European Championship. Two hours earlier, there had been very different tears after he had been taken out of the game on a stretcher, just 25 minutes into the final at the Stade de France, his night over and his team left to fight on without their talisman. Portugal’s triumph, thanks to a long-range goal in the second period of extra time by substitute striker Eder, was their first major trophy and will ease the memory of their painful loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final, on home turf in Lisbon. A 19-year-old Ronaldo had played on the wing in that defeat and he must have wondered if he would ever get a chance to make amends. "I am very happy. I have been looking for this for a long time, since 2004. I asked God for another chance at this because we deserved it,” he told reporters. “Today I was unfortunate, I was injured but I always believed that these players, together with the strategy, would be strong enough to beat France," the Real madrid forward added. "This is one of the happiest moments in my career, I always said I'd like to win something with Portugal. For me this is an amazing unique moment for all Portuguese." Ronaldo’s career has been a glittering combination of individual brilliance, multiple success at club level and constant comparisons with the other great player of his generation, Barcelona’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi. Messi has famously never won a major trophy with his country and just a few weeks ago announced he was quitting his national team after their latest disappointment -- a Copa America defeat on penalties to Chile, with Messi missing his spot-kick. Now to add to three Premier League titles and a Champions League win from his time with Manchester United, a Spanish league crown and two Champions League triumphs with Real Madrid, Ronaldo has a major trophy with Portugal. He was right to credit his team mates and coach Fernando Santos’s because while he may have been the man who got them to the final with his goal and assist in the last-four win over Wales, it was the squad who delivered his medal. "It was tough to lose our main man,” defender Pepe said. “The man who could at any moment score a goal. He could make the difference but we were warriors on the pitch. We said we would win it for him and we managed to do that." Ronaldo had been on the field before extra time encouraging his team mates and goalscorer Eder said had made an impact. “Cristiano told me I would be scoring the winning goal. He and all my team mates," he said. "He gave me strength and positive energy. And that goal was really important,” he said. Ronaldo’s critics have often pointed to his ego but Santos said his behaviour after suffering his injury had been exemplary. "Cristiano is an amazing example. Today he tried to remain on the pitch. He was very strong in the locker room, he helped all of the boys, that 's the definition of teamwork.” (Reuters)

The agony and the ecstasy (of Cristiano)

Any sliver of a doubt over whether Cristiano Ronaldo would lead Portugal into the Euro 2016 was erased on Tuesday when he was named in their 23-man squad for the finals.

The 31-year-old forward, who scored the decisive penalty as Real Madrid won their 11th European Cup last weekend, will skip Portugal&#39;s friendly against England at Wembley on Thursday.

Ronaldo is merely recharging his batteries on holiday in Ibiza after a long season, however, and will join up with the squad in plenty of time for their opening fixture against Iceland on June 14 in Saint Etienne.

Coach Fernando Santos, whose team will also meet Hungary and Austria in Group F, was able to confirm the squad he announced on May 17.

Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Olympique Lyon), Eduardo (D?namo Zagreb), Rui Patricio (Sporting)

Defenders: Bruno Alves (Fenerbah?e), Cedric (Southampton), Jose Fonte (Southampton), Eliseu (Benfica), Pepe (Real Madrid), Raphael Guerreiro (Lorient), Ricardo Carvalho (Monaco), Vieirinha (VfL Wolfsburg).

Midfielders: Adrien Silva (Sporting), Joao Mario (Sporting), William Carvalho (Sporting), Andre Gomes (Valencia), Danilo Pereira (Porto), Renato Sanches (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (Monaco)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Eder (Lille), Nani (Fenerbahce), Rafa (Braga), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)

But he will skip friendly against England on Thursday

Any sliver of a doubt over whether Cristiano Ronaldo would lead Portugal into the Euro 2016 was erased on Tuesday when he was named in their 23-man squad for the finals. The 31-year-old forward, who scored the decisive penalty as Real Madrid won their 11th European Cup last weekend, will skip Portugal's friendly against England at Wembley on Thursday. Ronaldo is merely recharging his batteries on holiday in Ibiza after a long season, however, and will join up with the squad in plenty of time for their opening fixture against Iceland on June 14 in Saint Etienne. Coach Fernando Santos, whose team will also meet Hungary and Austria in Group F, was able to confirm the squad he announced on May 17. Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Olympique Lyon), Eduardo (D?namo Zagreb), Rui Patricio (Sporting) Defenders: Bruno Alves (Fenerbah?e), Cedric (Southampton), Jose Fonte (Southampton), Eliseu (Benfica), Pepe (Real Madrid), Raphael Guerreiro (Lorient), Ricardo Carvalho (Monaco), Vieirinha (VfL Wolfsburg). Midfielders: Adrien Silva (Sporting), Joao Mario (Sporting), William Carvalho (Sporting), Andre Gomes (Valencia), Danilo Pereira (Porto), Renato Sanches (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (Monaco) Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Eder (Lille), Nani (Fenerbahce), Rafa (Braga), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)

Ronaldo to lead Portugal at Euro 2016

Battling outsiders Iceland enjoyed a memorable big-stage debut as they clinched a shock 1-1 draw against Euro 2016 Group F favourites Portugal in a captivating match on Tuesday. 
 
It was a miserable evening for Portugal&#39;s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo even though he equalled Luis Figo&#39;s record of 127 caps for his country. 
 
Iceland produced a typically industrious performance in their maiden appearance at a major tournament with winger Birkir Bjarnason cancelling out Nani&#39;s first-half opener. 
 
Although Portugal dominated for long spells, the result was no more than Iceland deserved. 
 
&quot;We should have scored more goals but we didn&#39;t and pragmatic Iceland took full advantage,&quot; Portugal coach Fernando Santos said in a news conference. 
 
&quot;It was by no means a brilliant performance by us. We have to move better between the lines and keep our focus in defence. 
 
&quot;Considering today&#39;s results, our next game against Austria could have a huge impact. I always said this was a complex group and I still think anything can happen,&quot; added Santos. 
 
With Hungary beating Austria 2-0 earlier, a fascinating battle for late-16 berths looms with Iceland taking on Hungary in their next game. 
 
A string of good saves by goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, coupled with Ronaldo&#39;s wasteful finishing, was a significant factor for the Nordic nation who fulfilled their pre-match promise to show no nerves. 
 
They went close in the third minute when keeper Rui Patricio denied Gylfi Sigurdsson with a double stop, smothering the rebound after parrying the midfielder&#39;s first effort. 
 
Portugal eventually got into their stride but the final pass kept going astray in the opening 20 minutes, with Iceland&#39;s back four able to close down Ronaldo and Nani. 
 
PERFECT CROSS 
 
The pattern changed after Nani drew a superb reflex save from Halldorsson who kept out his close-range header after Ronaldo delivered a perfect cross from the left. 
 
Iceland saw little of the ball from there on as Ronaldo sent a looping header over the bar and then scuffed his shot straight at Halldorsson after a defence-splitting pass by Pepe. 
 
Portugal, who had 67 percent possession in the first half, made their dominance count after a sweeping one-two between Vieirinha and Andre Gomes on the right handed Nani a simple task to steer the ball home from seven metres. 
 
Roared on by their fans, Iceland equalised out of the blue in the 50th minute as Bjarnason swept in a teasing Johann Gudmundsson centre that caught out Vieirinha. 
 
It seemed to take the wind out of Portugal&#39;s sails, with Ronaldo looking short of pace, although Nani came close to restoring their lead after a glancing header sailed just wide. 
 
Halldorsson then stopped dangerous shots by Gomes and Raphael Guerreiro as well as a deflected Ricardo Quaresma effort before substitute Alfred Finnbogason almost grabbed what would have been a remarkable winner at the other end. 
 
Rui Patricio was barely able to palm away the striker&#39;s stinging drive from the edge of the penalty area as Portugal ended up running out of ideas. 
 
Iceland co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who shares the job with Swede Lars Lagerback, said the draw boosted his team&#39;s hopes of reaching the last 16. 
 
&quot;With a win against Hungary we&#39;d probably be almost there and holding the group&#39;s strongest team to a draw should be a massive confidence boost,&quot; he explained. 
 
&quot;Our defending was fantastic, we were well organised and worked really hard. It&#39;s difficult to single out any individual player as they all deserve credit for a stirring team effort. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s really good to have a point. We can go a little bit more relaxed into the next game,&quot; said Hallgrimsson. 
 
(Reuters)

Ronaldo equalled Luis Figo's record of 127 caps for his team, but that was pretty much it

Battling outsiders Iceland enjoyed a memorable big-stage debut as they clinched a shock 1-1 draw against Euro 2016 Group F favourites Portugal in a captivating match on Tuesday. It was a miserable evening for Portugal's top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo even though he equalled Luis Figo's record of 127 caps for his country. Iceland produced a typically industrious performance in their maiden appearance at a major tournament with winger Birkir Bjarnason cancelling out Nani's first-half opener. Although Portugal dominated for long spells, the result was no more than Iceland deserved. "We should have scored more goals but we didn't and pragmatic Iceland took full advantage," Portugal coach Fernando Santos said in a news conference. "It was by no means a brilliant performance by us. We have to move better between the lines and keep our focus in defence. "Considering today's results, our next game against Austria could have a huge impact. I always said this was a complex group and I still think anything can happen," added Santos. With Hungary beating Austria 2-0 earlier, a fascinating battle for late-16 berths looms with Iceland taking on Hungary in their next game. A string of good saves by goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, coupled with Ronaldo's wasteful finishing, was a significant factor for the Nordic nation who fulfilled their pre-match promise to show no nerves. They went close in the third minute when keeper Rui Patricio denied Gylfi Sigurdsson with a double stop, smothering the rebound after parrying the midfielder's first effort. Portugal eventually got into their stride but the final pass kept going astray in the opening 20 minutes, with Iceland's back four able to close down Ronaldo and Nani. PERFECT CROSS The pattern changed after Nani drew a superb reflex save from Halldorsson who kept out his close-range header after Ronaldo delivered a perfect cross from the left. Iceland saw little of the ball from there on as Ronaldo sent a looping header over the bar and then scuffed his shot straight at Halldorsson after a defence-splitting pass by Pepe. Portugal, who had 67 percent possession in the first half, made their dominance count after a sweeping one-two between Vieirinha and Andre Gomes on the right handed Nani a simple task to steer the ball home from seven metres. Roared on by their fans, Iceland equalised out of the blue in the 50th minute as Bjarnason swept in a teasing Johann Gudmundsson centre that caught out Vieirinha. It seemed to take the wind out of Portugal's sails, with Ronaldo looking short of pace, although Nani came close to restoring their lead after a glancing header sailed just wide. Halldorsson then stopped dangerous shots by Gomes and Raphael Guerreiro as well as a deflected Ricardo Quaresma effort before substitute Alfred Finnbogason almost grabbed what would have been a remarkable winner at the other end. Rui Patricio was barely able to palm away the striker's stinging drive from the edge of the penalty area as Portugal ended up running out of ideas. Iceland co-coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who shares the job with Swede Lars Lagerback, said the draw boosted his team's hopes of reaching the last 16. "With a win against Hungary we'd probably be almost there and holding the group's strongest team to a draw should be a massive confidence boost," he explained. "Our defending was fantastic, we were well organised and worked really hard. It's difficult to single out any individual player as they all deserve credit for a stirring team effort. "It's really good to have a point. We can go a little bit more relaxed into the next game," said Hallgrimsson. (Reuters)

Debutants Iceland hold Portugal to shock 1-1 draw

Portugal&#39;s press gave a big salute to Cristiano Ronaldo and the entire national team on Thursday after their 2-0 win over Wales clinched a return to the European Championship final for the first time in 12 years. 
 
Daily sports newspaper, A bola, has a photograph of Ronaldo celebrating after scoring with the headline: &quot;Portugal, je t&#39;aime - heroic Selecao, reaches the final in Paris.&quot; 
 
Ronaldo&#39;s impressive header early in the second half put Portugal on their way before the Real Madrid superstar saw his shot turned in by Nani soon after for the team&#39;s second goal. 
 
Fernando Santos&#39;s side had not won a single game in the tournament over 90 minutes until Wednesday&#39;s dominant performance in Lyon. 
 
Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Real this season and delivered the decisive spot-kick in the penalties during the Champions League final win against Atletico Madrid. But he had been under scrutiny after a poor start to the tournament in France. 
 
His struggles are now in the past, with Lisbon-based Correio da Manha national newspaper shouting in a front headline: &quot;Ronaldo flies to the final.&quot; 
 
Wednesday&#39;s goal, his third of the tournament, saw the 31-year-old equal Michel Platini&#39;s record of nine in European Championship finals. 
 
Sports dailies Record and Ojogo both had photographs of Ronaldo jumping higher than Wales centre-back James Chester to break the deadlock, with the former applauding Ronaldo in a headline that says: &quot;Again he is the man of the match.&quot; 
 
Online national newspaper Diario de Noticias shows Ronaldo celebrating on their front page with a quote from the captain that says: &quot;The dream is here. I believe.&quot; 
 
Ronaldo started in Portugal&#39;s 1-0 defeat to Greece in the final of Euro 2004 and also when the team reached the semi-finals four years ago but were eliminated by Spain on penalties. 
 
The Publico national daily newspaper has a photograph of Ronaldo celebrating with his team mates on its front page with the headline: &quot;All that is left is the Cup.&quot; 
 
According to Ojogo, Ronaldo is showing more determination and resolve than ever before in the hope of leading Portugal to their first European title. 
 
The Sports daily includes a quote from Ronaldo on their front page which reads: &quot;I believe we will win in Paris.&quot; 
 
Portugal will meet hosts France or Germany in Sunday&#39;s final in Paris. 
 
(Reuters)

He had been under scrutiny after a poor start to the Euro

Portugal's press gave a big salute to Cristiano Ronaldo and the entire national team on Thursday after their 2-0 win over Wales clinched a return to the European Championship final for the first time in 12 years. Daily sports newspaper, A bola, has a photograph of Ronaldo celebrating after scoring with the headline: "Portugal, je t'aime - heroic Selecao, reaches the final in Paris." Ronaldo's impressive header early in the second half put Portugal on their way before the Real Madrid superstar saw his shot turned in by Nani soon after for the team's second goal. Fernando Santos's side had not won a single game in the tournament over 90 minutes until Wednesday's dominant performance in Lyon. Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Real this season and delivered the decisive spot-kick in the penalties during the Champions League final win against Atletico Madrid. But he had been under scrutiny after a poor start to the tournament in France. His struggles are now in the past, with Lisbon-based Correio da Manha national newspaper shouting in a front headline: "Ronaldo flies to the final." Wednesday's goal, his third of the tournament, saw the 31-year-old equal Michel Platini's record of nine in European Championship finals. Sports dailies Record and Ojogo both had photographs of Ronaldo jumping higher than Wales centre-back James Chester to break the deadlock, with the former applauding Ronaldo in a headline that says: "Again he is the man of the match." Online national newspaper Diario de Noticias shows Ronaldo celebrating on their front page with a quote from the captain that says: "The dream is here. I believe." Ronaldo started in Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Greece in the final of Euro 2004 and also when the team reached the semi-finals four years ago but were eliminated by Spain on penalties. The Publico national daily newspaper has a photograph of Ronaldo celebrating with his team mates on its front page with the headline: "All that is left is the Cup." According to Ojogo, Ronaldo is showing more determination and resolve than ever before in the hope of leading Portugal to their first European title. The Sports daily includes a quote from Ronaldo on their front page which reads: "I believe we will win in Paris." Portugal will meet hosts France or Germany in Sunday's final in Paris. (Reuters)

Portuguese press hails goal hero Ronaldo

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