Search icon

Football

21st Jan 2018

Cristiano Ronaldo uses phone as mirror to assess face injury, immediately walks off the pitch

He didn't fancy finishing the game

Reuben Pinder

You’re so vain (Cristiano), you probably think this article is about you.

We all know that Cristiano Ronaldo likes to look sharp at all times. Never a hair out of place, teeth pearly white, socks pulled up to 11. If he’s not looking his best, he’s not going out to play.

The Real Madrid forward suffered a facial injury during today’s demolition of Deportivo La Coruña and was obviously concerned with how it had affected his appearance.

The team physio entered the field to attend to Ronaldo’s injury, but the player took control, requesting the use of the physio’s mobile phone as a makeshift mirror to check the extent of the bleeding.

He sustained the injury while scoring a header – a great finish – as the flailing leg of the Deportivo centre-back caught him in the face.

His drought was over, but at what cost?

Upon seeing the blood on his face, Ronaldo signalled that he was calling it a day and he went straight down the tunnel to clean himself up. In fairness, they were 6-1 up, he’d scored his goal. Job done, right?

This incident occurred when Madrid were already 6-1 up against Deportivo, who had taken an early lead before the home side burst into life and smashed seven past the visitors.

It was a much needed goal for Cristiano; only his fifth in the league this season. It was also the first time the Portuguese has scored and assisted in the same match this season.

Real Madrid still trail 16 points behind Barcelona, a gap which could become 19 points again if Barcelona beat Real Betis tonight.

But this win will do wonders for the Real Madrid dressing room. After weeks of complaining that the ball simply didn’t want to go in, it definitely did today.