No Goals but Selfies for Ronaldo in Portugal's Chaotic 3-0 win over Türkiye at Euro 2024

The five-time world player of the year set up the third goal by Bruno Fernandes with an unselfish pass - The AP
The five-time world player of the year set up the third goal by Bruno Fernandes with an unselfish pass - The AP
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No Goals but Selfies for Ronaldo in Portugal's Chaotic 3-0 win over Türkiye at Euro 2024

The five-time world player of the year set up the third goal by Bruno Fernandes with an unselfish pass - The AP
The five-time world player of the year set up the third goal by Bruno Fernandes with an unselfish pass - The AP

There were no goals, one assist and no less than four selfie-pursuing field invaders for Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's 3-0 win over Türkiye that secured a spot in the European Championship round of 16 on Saturday.

Ronaldo was the center of attention as always at Westfalenstadion but not how he might have expected.

The five-time world player of the year set up the third goal by Bruno Fernandes with an unselfish pass when he could easily have attempted a shot after being played clean through.

Then there was chaos as three fans got on the field at different times in the second half and attempted selfies with Ronaldo. He accepted the first but looked unhappy at the other two, The AP reported.

Another phone-waving supporter, wearing a Portugal jersey, got to Ronaldo moments after the final whistle and security had to hold back another person attempting to confront one of the most famous sports stars in the world as he walked off the field with his teammates.

Ronaldo might be more unhappy at failing to score against a Türkiye team that was its own worst enemy at times.

Not least in the 28th minute when, trailing 1-0 to Bernardo Silva’s strike seven minutes earlier, Türkiye center back Samet Akaydin delivered a back-pass that rolled to the side of his goalkeeper and straight into the net.

Portugal backed up its opening 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic and has qualified with a match to spare from Group F.



Workers Take Down Olympic Rings from Eiffel Tower – for Now

Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
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Workers Take Down Olympic Rings from Eiffel Tower – for Now

Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Tourists sit on the Olympic rings displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

Workers removed the Olympics logo from the Eiffel Tower in the early hours of Friday, returning the beloved monument to its familiar form -- but perhaps only temporarily.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to build new Olympic rings and return them to the landmark as a tribute to the hugely successful Olympic Games held in the capital during July and August.

The proposal has polarized opinion in the French capital and has been criticized by descendants of the tower's designer Gustave Eiffel, as well as conservation groups.

After initially suggesting the new rings should be permanent, Hidalgo has proposed they remain on the city's world-renowned symbol until the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

Workers operating multiple large cranes removed the 30-tonne steel rings from between the first and second floors of the tower during the early hours of Friday morning.

They were first installed just under four months ago, on June 7, and will now be melted down and recycled.

The new rings, which the International Olympic Committee is expected to pay for, would be lighter versions of the originals and less prominent, according to a deputy Paris mayor, Pierre Rabadan.

"In my opinion, it would be better to put them somewhere else because it's a Parisian monument and it's not right that it becomes an advertising medium for an event that is now over," Hugo Staub, a French tourist at the tower on Friday, told AFP.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati, a longtime critic and opponent of Hidalgo, has also cast doubt over the idea, saying the mayor's proposal would need to respect procedures protecting historic buildings.

But others felt regret at losing a visual reminder of an enchanted period in Paris and expressed support for the idea of replacements.

"They were a bit large so it's better to put small ones that can remain for a few years," said Gabriel, a French volunteer at the Games, who was at the foot of the tower on Friday. "It would be symbolic and a great souvenir."