Why didn’t Ronaldo shout “Siu” i...

Why didn’t Ronaldo shout “Siu” immediately after his spectacular World Cup goal?

The emotional behind-the-scenes story of Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team.

On June 24th, the Portuguese national team achieved a resounding 5-0 victory against Uzbekistan in their second group stage match of the 2026 World Cup. The biggest highlight of the match wasn’t just Cristiano Ronaldo’s historic brace at the age of 41, but also the emotional story of camaraderie behind the superstar’s decision to abandon his familiar “Siu” celebration.

Breaking through public pressure and a special embrace in the technical area
Before the match against Uzbekistan, pressure weighed heavily on the Portuguese national team in general and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular. The disappointing 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening match, along with a series of goalless games, had made Ronaldo the target of media criticism.

However, all doubts were quickly dispelled. In the 6th minute, Ronaldo shone with the opening goal, officially becoming the first player in history to score in 6 consecutive World Cups. However, instead of performing his signature “Siu” celebratory jump, CR7 ran straight to the coaching bench to embrace his teammates and Dalot.

Ronaldo scored the first goal and immediately ran towards his teammates (Photo: Getty)

Celebrating with teammates, putting aside personal preferences (Photo: Getty)

This unexpected action was later revealed by the media to have a reason behind it. Despite only being a substitute in this match, Dalot was the “spiritual leader” in the dressing room. Before the game, the Manchester United defender proactively convened a private meeting among the players to find a way to overcome the media crisis, while publicly defending and expressing absolute faith in his senior teammate. Therefore, immediately after scoring, Ronaldo chose to share this historic moment with his close friend and teammates. After completing the celebration with the Portuguese coaching staff and players, Ronaldo then jumped up and down along the sideline.

Ronaldo celebrated with a “super” gesture after celebrating with the whole team, and after the second goal, he returned to his familiar celebration (Photo: BR Football)

No one loves Ronaldo more than Diogo Dalot

The special relationship between these two stars continued to be the focus after the final whistle. Despite being teammates every day, Diogo Dalot showed that “no one loves Ronaldo more than him” by quickly acquiring two priceless treasures: Ronaldo’s jersey and captain’s armband from the historic match. For Dalot, these are not just mementos, but evidence of a unique milestone in the history of world football.

On his personal page after the match, Dalot also delighted fans by sharing a photo of CR7 beaming with the “Man of the Match” award along with a short but emotional caption: “Smiling like a child @Cristiano”.

Dalot with a gift of a jersey and captain’s armband from Ronaldo (Photo: IG)

Dalot asks for a shirt from a senior player (Photo: Getty)

Dalot’s joy upon receiving a commemorative gift (Photo: Getty)

Dalot’s words perfectly encapsulate Ronaldo at 41. Overcoming all pressure, prejudice, and the burden of time, when standing on the World Cup pitch, the Portuguese superstar still retains the same pure passion and happy smile as when he first entered the world of football. Portugal’s 5-0 victory not only opened the door to the next round, but also showed a united and cohesive team around their great leader.