Cristiano Ronaldo Looks Ready for a World Cup Takeover

Cristiano Ronaldo gave the United States — and the rest of the world — reason to watch the World Cup on Friday, the second day of the tournament. The striker dominated Spain in Portugal’s 3-3 draw.

He couldn’t have played any better.

In the 87th minute of the game, Ronaldo lined up for a free kick against keeper David de Gea. The shot’s placement was impeccable, as Ronaldo bent the around the wall by putting it inches away from heads of Spain’s defender. He found the back of the net and tied the game in its closing moments.

Watch it here:

Ronaldo didn’t hesitate to get involved early in the game. He drew a penalty in the box in the first few minutes of the game, and lined up for a penalty kick in the third minute. He fooled de Gea by delivering the ball to the top right with authority.

Ronaldo nearly helped Portugal put up another goal soon after he scored his first. Portugal attacked in transition with Ronaldo and Gonçalo Guedes. Ronaldo drew defenders to their right before dishing the ball to Guedes who was wide open at the top of the box. However, he missed a great opportunity by two-touching the ball when he should have one-timed it at the net. And a defender poked the ball free before Guedes could get off a shot.

After Spain’s Diego Costa scored a goal in the following minutes, Ronaldo managed to regain the lead before the end of the first half. Guedes fielded a ball which came in from midfield and dished the ball to Ronaldo, who turned and put a shot right at de Gea’s legs. For whatever reason, de Gea couldn’t field the ball, and the shot bounced off the keeper’s hands and into the net.

Spain rallied with a remarkable, deep snipe from Nacho followed by a second goal from Diego Costa. But then Ronaldo drew a foul just outside the top of the box in the final minutes of the game. That set up the absurdly clutch and skilled goal from Ronaldo.

Portugal kept pushing in the final minutes of regulation and stoppage, but they couldn’t get a fourth past de Gea. At the final whistle, Ronaldo screamed in celebration to steal a point from Spain.