‘I can't believe they showed that again' – ITV commentator stunned by Cristiano Ronaldo banner at Nations League final
ITV commentators were left stunned after seeing a banner directed at Cristiano Ronaldo at the Nations League final.
Portugal claimed their second Nations League crown after beating Spain on penalties on Sunday evening.
3
3
3
But it was a supporter's banner in the stands that caught the attention of ITV commentators Sam Hutchinson and Andros Townsend.
In the 87th minute, when Ronaldo went down injured, the cameras panned to the crowd and caught the sign.
A Portugal fan could be seen holding up a banner that read "Cristiano, please let me touch you."
The suggestive sign was spotted by the commentators, leaving them stunned.
Hutchinson said: "Oh my gosh."
Which prompted the former Premier League star to say: "I can't believe they showed that again."
Hutchinson replied: "I think we know why."
Townsend then joked: "The director has a very innocent mind".
The sign clearly left an impression on Hutchinson as a couple of minutes later, it was still on his mind.
He added: "I am still laughing at that sign."
Despite being subbed off injured, Ronaldo still played his part in the final as he netted the crucial equaliser in the second half.
Portugal had already come from behind once in the game as Nuno Mendes cancelled out Martin Zubimendi's opener.
After the match, Ronaldo also revealed that he would be staying at Saudi club Al-Nassr amid links of an exit.
Ronaldo joined the Saudi side in 2023 and has been the Pro League's top scorer for the past two seasons.
Meanwhile, the final was overshadowed by the tragic death of a fan in the stands.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Inside the Lions camp: Andy Farrell goes to extreme lengths to protect his plans in Portugal as two Premier League stars are spotted
At the luxurious Campus training centre in Quinta do Lago on Wednesday, the locals turning up for their padel and tennis matches and Pilates sessions were shocked at what they found. Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall, already preparing for pre-season with Eddie Howe 's side on the Algarve, looked especially surprised at the increased security as he headed for a kickabout.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
European game generated 38 bln euros in 2023-24 season, study shows
June 11 (Reuters) - Europe's soccer market grew by 8% in terms of revenue in the 2023-24 season to 38 billion euros ($43.46 billion) with England's Premier League generating the most, Deloitte said in a study published on Wednesday. In its Annual Review of Football Finance, Deloitte said the top five leagues -- Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1 -- generated 20.4 billion euros in revenue, an increase of 4%. Premier League clubs had the highest revenue of Europe's top leagues at 6.3 billion pounds ($8.50 billion). However, the traditional 'big six' clubs in England's top flight reported lower average revenue growth (3%) than other clubs that were in the Premier League in both the 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons (11%). The study said the growth was largely driven by expansion of clubs' commercial offerings, which also led to the teams cumulatively generating more than two billion pounds in commercial revenue for the first time. "A focus on stadia development and diversification of commercial revenues led to growth across the European football market in the 2023-24 season," Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group, said. "However, clubs and leagues cannot afford to take their eye off the ball as new challenges, including an evolving regulatory landscape and changing fan behaviours, arise. "The pressure is mounting for more clubs to drive additional revenue at the same time as managing rising costs. "More so than ever, leaders and owners must recognise the great responsibility they have of managing these businesses, capturing the historic essence of a football club while honouring its unrivalled role as a community asset for generations to come." Clubs in Europe's 'big five' leagues reported an aggregate operating profit (0.6 billion euros) for a second successive season, while the aggregate wages/revenue ratio fell from 66% to 64%. Clubs in England's Women's Super League (WSL) jointly generated revenue of 65 million pounds in the 2023-24 season, a 34% rise. Each WSL club had a double-digit increase in revenue, while all 12 clubs reported over one million pounds in revenue for the first time, with an average revenue of 5.4 million pounds. "Through developing more robust fan engagement strategies, strong commercial deals and securing central distributions, WSL clubs unlocked a new phase of growth," Deloitte Sports Business group's knowledge and insights lead Jennifer Haskel said. "Plus, as the reporting and attribution of commercial revenue remains inconsistent between clubs, we may be scratching the surface on the value now being generated by the women's game." ($1 = 0.7409 pounds) ($1 = 0.8743 euros)
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
From Mary Earps' understudy to England's undisputed No 1: Hannah Hampton is set to star at this summer's European Championship after negative media attention nearly made her QUIT the game
For several years Hannah Hampton occupied an unenviable position of playing back-up to one of the stars of English football's recent history, Mary Earps. Earps, who had been Sarina Wiegman 's first-choice goalkeeper since the Dutch coach took charge in September 2021, found herself in competition with Chelsea 's Hampton for the No 1 shirt at this summer's Women's European Championship. The 2023 Sports Personality of the Year winner had slipped down the pecking order, having been left out of England's most recent matches against Belgium. Wiegman admitted in April that Hampton was 'a little bit ahead' of Earps in the race for the No 1 jersey. Earps quickly bowed out of the contest, surprising the world with a shock international retirement that has left Hampton as the undisputed No 1 for the Lionesses European title defence starting next month. It's quite the turnaround for the Birmingham-born stopper, ever present for Sonia Bompastor's Blues, who dominated the domestic season, going unbeaten while amassing a record tally in the league and winning the women's FA Cup. In her early days Hampton faced negative headlines which nearly caused her to quite the sport altogether but she credits her friends and family with helping to guide her in the right direction. 'Media scrutiny gets to you more than you realise,' she told Elle UK. 'At a young age, I was likely exposed to more of it than most people are in their entire career, and I wasn't ready.' 'It was harder to find that fight in me to prove people wrong, but somehow I managed it. I had all my friends and my family around me at the time to guide me in the right direction and keep me going. It's worked out for the best – I've got a lot to thank them for.' Hampton made her senior debut in February 2022 - while with Aston Villa, who she linked up with in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer - during England's successful Arnold Clark Cup campaign when she starred on her way to keeping a clean sheet against Spain, before going on to make her second appearance in the 10-0 win over North Macedonia. Hampton, spent five years of her childhood growing up in Spain after moving there with her family, registered a competitive start for the Lionesses for the first time in over two years in April 2024 when she kept a clean sheet in England's EURO 2025 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland. However, it was the December friendly win - fittingly over Switzerland, who will host this summer's tournament - that marked the beginning of her ownership of the No 1 jersey. Hampton kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win at Bramall Lane and has been Wiegman's pick between the posts in the subsequent six international matches. Though she was a member of the victorious 2022 squad, with only 15 caps, Hampton would ordinarily be considered a junior member of the roster. But that is not a luxury that will be afforded in Wiegman's inexperienced contingent. There are gaps all over the pitch, especially in goal where Hampton is now the only capped shot-stopper in the squad. Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, is the only recognised right-back. The stopper has been Wiegman's pick between the posts for the past seven international matches The lack of experience behind Wiegman's trusted XI was laid bare against Spain earlier this month when Bronze and Georgia Stanway were substituted to manage loads. Jess Carter – out of position at right back – and debutant Missy-Bo Kearns stepped in. England looked quickly devoid of control and conceded twice. The reigning champions get their campaign underway against France on July 5 and Hampton accepts the side will face a level of competition unlike anything they have seen before. She added: 'There's pressure on everyone. It's going to be more competitive than anything [we've experienced before]. 'We know that if we can prepare ourselves the right way, then we can put on a good show for everyone - that's what we're aiming for.'
