Everybody wants to see the biggest players on the biggest stage.
The Olympics just wouldn’t be the same without Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps, while we shudder at the thought of Wimbledon without Serena Williams.
So when Real Madrid overcame a lacklustre Manchester City in the semi finals of the Champions League, football fans the world over were thrilled that they would get to see one of the greatest players of the modern era playing in the most important game in club football once more.
But Cristiano Ronaldo’s fitness became one of the major story lines in the build up to the second all-Madrid Champions League final in three years.
The Portuguese had picked up an injury just before the second leg against City, and it seems that he just couldn’t shake it off in time to be fit for Saturday night’s game.
But Real Madrid are nothing if not a loyal club, and as an act of support for their fallen talisman, Zinedine Zidane still named Ronaldo in his starting XI for the night.
Unfortunately, this meant that Los Blancos were forced to play with just ten men for 120 minutes, as the game went the distance with extra time and penalties. And football fans everywhere appreciated Real’s sacrifice.
If Atletico are ever going to win the Champions League has to be now. Basically playing against 10 men with Ronaldo's injury
— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) May 28, 2016
If Zidane hadn't made all his subs, Real could have brought Ronaldo on.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) May 28, 2016
Have to fancy Real to win it in extra time once they bring Ronaldo on! 👀
— Adam Rooney (@17AdamRooney) May 28, 2016
I think Ronaldo joined messi to watch this game at home cause i dont see him on the field .. 🤔
— vuhsace (@vuhsace) May 28, 2016
Ronaldo's mind obviously isn't on the game, it's in Merseyside, thinking how him and De Boer are going to take over the world with Everton
— 🤘🏼 (@EFCal97) May 28, 2016
Hands up if you'd forgotten Ronaldo was playing 🙋🙋🙋
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) May 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/Greybean_/status/736649702293286913
But of course, after all that, the inevitable happened.
With Atletico’s fourth penalty striking a post in the shoot out, fate had it that Cristiano Ronaldo was the man to step up and take the match-winning penalty.
As soon as he placed the ball on the spot, there was only ever one outcome and he made light work of steering the ball high into the Atleti net.
For a man with such ridiculously high standards it was undeniably a quiet 120 minutes in Milan, but as if often the case with the true sporting greats, he delivered when it really mattered.
https://twitter.com/KonyChimel/status/736670715626323968
