The 'Ronaldete' and an All-Nighter from Aveiro Wanted to See CR7, But Left Smiling Anyway

Sara Francisco arrived at Lisbon airport at 5:30 AM, still in the dark. Hours earlier, she had decided she would be there to welcome the national team back from the United States, following Portugal's elimination from the Round of 16 by Spain. Because, for her, support is unwavering.

"I came to show my support. I've been thinking about it every day. I thought I'd only come when they returned with the trophy, but last night I was lying in bed and thought, 'No, they deserve for us to be there to welcome them.' I don't want them to think, 'Why did we lose this game? We're worthless now.' Our national team has faced so much criticism, which I believe is undeserved. I think they've done everything they can. More than we want, they certainly want to win, don't they? I felt I had to come and give them a boost. If people abroad show their support, why shouldn't we, here in Portugal, give them the support they want and need?" she told A BOLA, not hiding her disappointment at what she considered an early exit:

"I think they could have gone further. Football, despite being a game of skill, also involves external factors like luck, misfortune, and refereeing. I believe there was a penalty not called in our favor. All of that influences the game and the result."

Among about fifty fans, Sara stood out, improvising a double-sided sign on a single sheet. "The sign has two messages: 'Cris, National Team, thank you.' And on the other side, his famous shout, 'Siuuu,' and 'Cristiano, I only came to see you.'"

But she didn't see him. Ronaldo didn't emerge. Yet, Sara left happy after having shared positive energy – and received it – from some players and coach Roberto Martínez, who spent a long time signing autographs before boarding the team bus.

"I didn't see him, unfortunately. I saw Nuno Mendes, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and the coach. What did I tell him? 'Congratulations, and don't pay attention to the words that have been said.' I really liked him. We appreciate the titles he's brought," she emphasized.

As the sun began to rise, Sara Francisco also looked to the future. "There's talk of Jorge Jesus, isn't there? He's won many titles. Yes, let him come, let him show his work," she said, a future that might already be without Cristiano Ronaldo, who, for now, has only confirmed this was his last World Cup.

"I'm a 'Ronaldete,' as they call us. Whether he plays well or poorly, scores goals or not, I'm always with him. It will be different without him. Will I continue to support? Absolutely. Do I like Nuno Mendes, Rafael Leão, Bruno Fernandes? Despite seeing they were tired, they were in good spirits and signed my jersey," she recounted, also offering some criticism. "Diogo Costa and Francisco Conceição, however, went far away. We called out to them, but they didn't even look. They put their bags in the car and left. I don't think we deserved that. And there weren't that many of us..."

Margarida and Tatiana also arrived in the dark. They stood side-by-side at the barrier, quickly striking up a friendship. Margarida had driven from Aveiro, arriving in Lisbon at 1 AM, and at the airport by 3 AM. She was still up when A BOLA spoke to her around 6 AM. All for Ronaldo. "We have to support our national team. I watched all their games, I came from Aveiro, I've been here since 1 AM waiting, and even though we lost, it's a moment when we must always be united and supportive," Margarida said. But was the team's World Cup performance worth staying up all night? "Of course, absolutely. For our Cristiano Ronaldo, for everything he's done for us, and the entire team, it's totally worth it. I hope they come here to take photos with us, say a few words, sign autographs. I hope they're in good spirits."

For Tatiana, standing next to her, the same question: Why? "I came from Loures, which is closer, but I'm here for our national team because it's always good to show support, and despite the result, for them to feel that we are also present. I'm always here, and I came purely from the heart. And it was Ronaldo's last World Cup, so it's always good for him to feel this warmth." In the end, Tatiana didn't get everything she wanted; Ronaldo didn't come out. But her smile remained. "It went well, but I was very disappointed because I really hoped Cristiano would have come to us. I was very surprised by the kindness of our coach; he took photos with everyone, gave autographs to all who asked, and Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes stopped right in front of us and offered kind words to people."