Portugal manager Fernando Santos has explained why superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed a penalty and could have been sent off, was upset after A Selecao's 1-1 draw with Iran in their final Group B match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Monday night.
Click through the gallery above to see some images from Portugal's draw with Iran.
The Real Madrid talisman had the chance to give his team a comfortable 2-0 lead in the 53rd minute of the fixture, but fluffed his lines as Iran shot-stopper Alireza Beiranvand proved equal to his strike.
There was more drama later in the game, when the referee consulted VAR after it appeared that Ronaldo threw an elbow at an opponent, but replays showed the action was not as malicious as it initially may have seemed.
Ronaldo, who received a yellow card for the challenge, cut a frustrated figure after the match, but Santos insisted this was only because he was disappointed that A Selecao did not take home all three points.
"I understand, it's normal," he said, according to the Daily Express.
"The best players in the world face that when there isn't an opportunity to really make it happen.
"That hurts a lot, more to them than to the other players.
"They always want to win, they want to be the best and they refuse to fail – and when they fail, they get very upset."
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Ronaldo and Portugal will play Uruguay in the round of 16, where they will go up against a defence that is yet to concede a goal at the tournament.
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