\n
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) \u2014 Julio Cortez is a veteran photojournalist for The Associated Press. He is the AP regional chief photographer and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Cortez is working on his third World Cup and has been with AP for 16 years and is based in Dallas.<\/p>\n
why this photo<\/h2>\n
On the eve of Portugal’s match against Spain on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo answered a question at a press conference about the possibility of this being his last World Cup appearance. When asked how he would feel if his team lost to Spain, he said that the result was up to God and that regardless of the result, he would be grateful for everything he had done on the tournament stage. This photo captures his emotions when the possibility of an end becomes a reality.<\/p>\n
How this photo was made<\/h2>\n
As the final minutes of stoppage time ticked away, I followed Ronaldo’s every move, almost forgetting everything else on the field. I kept my lens on him and watched him react to the near miss in the final seconds. When the referee blew the final whistle, I followed him with my lens as he shook hands and hugged his teammates and members of the Spanish national team. As he approached my edge of the pitch, he began to express his emotions the last time he stood on a World Cup pitch.<\/p>\n
Why is it effective?<\/h2>\n
The image I wanted to create as I started my day was of Ronaldo doing his famous “SIU” pose near my corner position after scoring a goal. If he didn’t intend to create that image, the other image would be of an emotional Ronaldo at the end of the World Cup era. A very even match, a loss in the round of 16, and the end of his sixth World Cup appearance underlined the magnitude of the moment for him. Fighting back tears, Ronaldo looked up into the stands and spoke to his teammates and opponents. The stadium’s giant video screens showed Ronaldo walking across the pitch, and he was brought to tears as the crowd began to shout their thanks. That’s exactly what I expected to happen, as I went into this game knowing that if Portugal were eliminated, every camera lens and every eyeball in the stadium would be glued to one of the great footballers making his final appearance. This image and moment is highlighted by the image of Ronaldo wiping away his tears, soaked in emotion, with the shadows of his teammates in the background.<\/p>\n
.___<\/p>\n
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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