Czechia manager Ivan Hasek heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo despite the veteran's underwhelming performance in Portugal's Euro 2024 opener.
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- Hasek called Ronaldo a 'genius'
- Missed two good chances in the first half
- Portugal picked up narrow win over Czechia
- Getty
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 39-year-old, who appeared in the tournament for a record sixth time on Tuesday, had a mediocre outing in Portugal's Euro 2024 opener against Czechia as he squandered two good chances in the first half and was far from being an imposing figure in the team's attack, with Roberto Martinez' side eventually earning a narrow 2-1 win thanks to an own goal from Robin Hranac and a stoppage time effort from Francisco Conceicao.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Czechia manager Hasek, however, was left in awe of the Portugal legend's commitment and consistency on the pitch at the age of 39, as well as his predatory instincts, as he labelled the Al-Nassr star a "genius" and called him an all-time great.
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WHAT IVAN HASEK SAID
Speaking to reporters, the manager said: "We played against one of the best teams in the world and I was very angry about conceding a goal so close to the end. Ronaldo is incredible that, at his age, he continues to play like this. He's a genius. The way he is able to find a way to shoot at goal in a short space of space is incredible. He's one of the best players of all time, without a doubt."
- Getty Images
WHAT NEXT FOR PORTUGAL?
After edging out the Czechs, the Selecao will now aim to seal their berth in the round of 16 as they next take on Turkey on Saturday in their second match of the European Championship group stage, with Ronaldo likely to start upfront once again.
