JAN OBLAK BECOMES JUST THE SECOND GOALKEEPER EVER TO SAVE PENALTIES FROM CRISTIANO RONALDO AND LIONEL MESSI AFTER DENYING THE PORTUGAL STAR AT EURO 2024... BUT CAN YOU GUESS THE FIRST?
- Oblak denied Ronaldo during extra-time of Slovenia's Euro 2024 exit to Portugal
- He became just the second keeper to save penalties from Messi and Ronaldo
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Jan Oblak is just the second goalkeeper in history to save penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, after denying the Portugal star at Euro 2024.
Portugal reached the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout victory over Slovenia, but Ronaldo was earlier left in tears when Oblak denied the legendary forward from the spot during extra-time.
Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest goalscorers in football history, but Oblak has widely been regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world for a number of years.
Argentine icon Messi was previously denied by Oblak from the spot during his days at Barcelona, when the Atletico Madrid keeper saved his penalty in a Copa del Rey quarter-final clash in 2015.
The only other goalkeeper who has denied both Ronaldo and Messi is 39-year-old Brazilian Diego Alves.
Alves, who last played for Celta Vigo last year, was a thorn in Ronaldo's side when the forward played for Real Madrid - saving three penalties from the Portuguese legend.
He first saved a penalty from Ronaldo during his debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu, when the Brazilian was playing for Almeria.
Then at Valencia, Alves saved penalties from Ronaldo in 2015 and 2017.
Messi meanwhile failed to beat Alves from the spot during the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in 2012.
Alves has a strong argument for being one of the best penalty savers in LaLiga history, stopping an impressive 24 of the 50 penalties he faced.
He left LaLiga side Valencia for Flamengo in 2017, before returning to Spain with Celta Vigo last year - though his contract was terminated after two months as he didn't play a single minute.
Ronaldo ultimately made amends for his miss in extra-time, as he scored Portugal's first penalty in their shootout victory over Slovenia.
The Portuguese star though has had a difficult Euro 2024 despite their progression to the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo has failed to score with 20 shots across four games, with only four players failing to score at a single European Championship since 1980 having taken more shots.
He will hope to return to goalscoring form when Portugal face France in a massive quarter-final match on Friday night.
Read more 2024-07-03T10:24:07Z dg43tfdfdgfd
