Waterslides, St Mirren & Hampden frustration – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Scotland return

There was a surreal moment on social media on Sunday night when a video, external showed Ronaldo throwing himself down a waterslide at the hotel Portugal were based at.

The only thing missing was the noise of the Al Nassr striker’s trademark ‘siu’ celebration echoing round the plastic flume as he flew down it.

Then there was the sight of the former Real Madrid and Manchester United legend training at St Mirren’s stadium as an adoring crowd waited outside for a glimpse of the superstar.

Ronaldo-mania had swept over Scotland at the same pace as the Portugal captain’s stroppy march down the Hampden tunnel at the full-time whistle.

Fans from China, Nepal, Ukraine and Kurdistan were in attendance – and they were not there to see Grant Hanley.

Away from the countless homemade signs in the crowd requesting Ronaldo’s shirt, there was a game to be played.

There have been suggestions that it is perhaps the time for the forward to take a supporting role, but he was front and centre of the show in Glasgow.

At one point, Sportsound pundit Steven Thompson said the striker was even “refereeing the game”.

His first sight of goal, an early left-foot strike, felt ominous for the hosts, but that was the first of four shots – all from inside the box – that Ronaldo, on his 200th Portugal start, failed to score with.

There were jeers from the home crowd for each of his 34 touches, plus ironic cheers for every missed effort, including an acrobatic overhead attempt that had shades of his famous bicycle kick goal against Juventus for Real in 2018.

Frustration then boiled over as animated hand waving was aimed the way of team-mate Rafael Leao late in the game.

And there was time for some sarcastic clapping and berating when the referee blew the final whistle, before he stormed off.