Colombian Journalist Who Cried Over Ronaldo Warns Portugal: "You Are Favorites, But…"

PALM BEACH GARDENS — There are moments that transcend journalistic objectivity and delve into the realm of pure emotion. Sheyla García Pérez, the renowned Colombian journalist for Win Sports, knows this better than anyone.

Accompanied daily by her brother behind the camera while covering the Portuguese National Team at this 2026 World Cup, Sheyla's name went global and viral after the open training session on the 13th. Upon seeing Cristiano Ronaldo from a distance, the journalist couldn't contain her excitement, called out to the star, and when he reciprocated with a wave, she burst into tears (as seen in her post below).

Fifteen days later, with a reunion on the horizon, the journalist shared with A BOLA the intensity of that memory and previewed the highly anticipated Colombia-Portugal match set for next Saturday, the 27th, in Miami.

Invited to watch the footage that captured her reaction on her phone, Sheyla offers a knowing smile, confessing that the emotion still affects her. "It still touches me deeply. I was just watching the video, and it felt unreal to relive it," she admits, her voice choked with emotion and her eyes glistening.

Confronted with the whirlwind of emotions from that day, the Colombian reporter searches for the right words to explain the impact of Portugal's number 7. "I don't think I can find a way to describe it, but I believe Cristiano's aura has something that makes you look at him and say: this man is something else. From his physique to his nobility... I had never seen him so close, not even in a game, and knowing from that morning that I was going to see and meet him excited me."

"But I didn't think I would be moved in this way. When he looked and I said 'Cristiano, Colombia!', he reacted with such nobility. That's when I felt the weight of the world on me. It was the moment of the World Cup, the moment of my life," the journalist confesses.

This transformative experience gained even more special significance due to the environment the journalist encountered at the Portuguese headquarters. With the experience of having covered three World Cups and six editions of the Copa América, Sheyla García made a point of praising the organization and hospitality of the FPF in their treatment of the media.

"My first day covering Portugal was the day Vitinha spoke to journalists. When I entered this 'Casa de Portugal,' I opened the door and saw this space, with such tranquility, air conditioning, food, hydration, and such meticulous organization, I looked at the camera and said to myself: 'They are the favorites!' I had never been with a national team that cared for and attended to journalists so well. Your warmth and formality are very similar to ours," she proudly emphasizes.

However, this professional affection will inevitably pause when the ball rolls at Hard Rock Stadium for the Group K decider. Anticipating the tactical clash between the two nations, Sheyla foresees a tight match, whose final outcome will largely depend on how Uzbekistan and Congo react in this round.

In her view, Colombia sees Portugal as the ideal litmus test to rediscover their best collective football. "I think it will be a very closed game, due to the needs of both teams. I don't believe it will be a high-scoring match. And Colombia also needs an opponent like Portugal to put behind them this recent chapter of footballing weakness," the journalist states.

"Colombia needs to grow again against the powerhouses — and that will be a very special chapter for us, with Lucho Díaz, James Rodríguez, and the entire Colombian squad," Sheyla stresses. Torn by her heart, but won over by the professionalism and friendliness she found within the Portuguese delegation, the Win Sports reporter bids farewell with a promise of loyalty to Portuguese talent, even knowing where her roots lie.

"It's great to be able to follow the Portuguese National Team in this World Cup. For me, I'd go with you all the way to the final... I'd like to say that, but I have my Colombia right there! But I'll go with you as far as I can," she concludes, laughing, sealing the spirit of sportsmanship and passion that promises to ignite the stands in Miami.