Is it good to cry in the middle of a game? “In Cristiano there was anger, not weakness”
Cristiano wants to score a goal. It’s something simple for him. If he does not arrive, his mental edifice is destroyed. The match against Slovenia was a torrent of emotions for the Portuguese. The flame was definitively lit when Oblak saved the penalty in extra time. Cristiano began to cry on the pitch with the match still to be decided. Weakness or strength? Is crying good in that situation? The experts speak out.
María Cabrera, sports psychologist, clarifies that crying in the middle of a game “is liberating, it is a natural emotion like any other, It also releases accumulated tensions and relieves us of stress and frustration. It has been shown that expressing emotions can help the athlete recover from the situation and prepare for the next thing.”
Express feelings
Next was another penalty. The Portuguese, after Oblak’s save, He returned to the penalty spot to take Portugal’s first shot of the shootout. This time bingo came out and Cristiano uncorked another emotional bottle by asking the crowd for forgiveness.
Cristiano Ronaldo burst into tears after missing the penalty in extra time
José Carlos Jaenes, professor of Psychology of Physical Activity and Sports at the Pablo de Olavide University, remembers that Cristiano Ronaldo “has always expressed his feelings a lot and there he showed his frustration for not having solved a game for his country, and it could also be the end of his career.”
Crying is liberating, it is a natural emotion like any other. It has been shown that expressing emotions can help the athlete recover from the situation and prepare for the next thing. That an athlete appears vulnerable is a sign of strength
For Cabrera “the idea that it could be his last Euro Cup can have a great emotional impact on Cristiano, adding pressure and motivation to leave one last lasting mark on this tournament.” Jaenes supports an athlete “expressing their emotions. He is good. “I liked the heartfelt hug that he gave the goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, as if he had saved him.”
Is it weakness?
An athlete like Cristiano is not just another athlete, he is a piece of an industry in which objectives are mixed. “He was always considered one of the best in the world, he is the captain and the idea of not achieving the objectives or not maintaining that reputation can feel like a personal failure and a disappointment to your fans and your team,” explains Cabrera.
The psychologist highlights that penalties “are moments of high pressure, especially in important matches. Failing in those moments can be frustrating and discouraging.” Jaenes points out that “starting to cry shows, apart from frustration, a human, interesting, although it seems negative to many people. “There is no reason to identify it as weakness, it is more anger and frustration.”
The athletes cry. When he started to cry, Cristiano showed an interesting human side, although many people find it negative. It should not be identified as a weakness
The specialist highlights that when crying “adrenaline is released. Anxiety is one thing and controlling the level of activation, that energy that is there, is another.” Jaenes is emphatic: “Athletes cry, there is no room for anything else. “Great footballers also fail.”
Cabrera shares the “that an athlete appears vulnerable It is a sign of strength, generating even more ties with their followers and colleagues, demonstrating that they are people equal to everyone else and that they also fail and get excited. That seems to have happened, he lets off steam and prepares to take a penalty again.”
The last decision
Jaenes is clear that another footballer “would not have taken a penalty again, but Cristiano is aggressive in his competitiveness. The coach was also smart to leave him on the field and let him shoot first. He would have been worse if he had kept the ruling.”
Cristiano finished the round with a bittersweet feeling, as he confessed. For Cabrera, the Portuguese “is a footballer known for his competitive spirit and his ambition. A failure impacts his self-esteem and motivation.” In the quarterfinals he awaits Mbappé’s France. A day of strong emotions.
