Ronaldo's emotional breakdown: sister reveals true reason behind tears during Slovenia match

"Not everything is football, fame and money," says Ronaldo's sister, explaining his reaction.

Cristiano Ronaldo's sister, Elma Aveiro, revealed that the football star broke down in tears during Portugal's match against Slovenia after spotting their mother on the stadium’s big screen, describing her as "suffering from a lifetime of pain." 

This emotional moment came after Ronaldo had a penalty saved by Slovenia's Jan Oblak, despite later redeeming himself in the shootout.

The match saw Ronaldo, a former Manchester United star, miss several opportunities for Roberto Martinez’s team, sparking calls for him to be dropped. 

His missed penalty in the first period of extra time led to a defining image of him in tears during a huddle. 

However, Portugal's goalkeeper Diogo Costa became the hero by denying all three Slovenian attempts in the shootout, securing a quarter-final spot against France on Friday night.

Elma Aveiro took to Instagram to defend her brother, posting an image of Ronaldo's tears and explaining the true reason behind his emotional response. 

“This scene happened when he saw our mother on the giant screen, suffering from a lifetime of pain,” she wrote. 

“Do you know what that means? You don’t know… No one will ever know… Not everything is football, fame and money.”

Despite heavy criticism for his eight attempts on goal and improbable free kick angles, Martinez is unlikely to drop Ronaldo, the sport's most famous player, despite his apparent physical struggles. 

Speaking to Portuguese Sport TV after the shootout, Ronaldo said: “Even the strongest people have their [bad] days, I was down and I was sad because the team needed me. Initial sadness and joy at the end, that’s what football brings, inexplicable moments, from the eighth minute to the 80th, that’s what happens."

Reflecting on his missed penalty, Ronaldo added: “I could have given the national team the advantage, but I didn’t manage it, Oblak saved, I didn’t miss once during the year, and when I needed it most Oblak saved. It’s a feeling of sadness and joy at the same time, but the most important thing is progressing, the team deserved it. Slovenia spent almost the entire time defending and when it’s like that it’s very difficult, the team deserves congratulations, especially our goalkeeper who made three good saves.”