Celtic player delivers masterclass against Cristiano Ronaldo

There was a ton of discussion on social media when the Scotland vs Portugal teams were announced. Celtic right-back, Anthony Ralston, who has not played a ton of football this season as cover for Alistair Johnston, was the man tasked with keeping the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Jota quiet.

There were many who joked about the situation. Yet, at the end of 90 minutes, Ralston would have been the only one laughing.

Portugal were held to a goalless draw and were limited to just three shots on target. Ronaldo and Jota were both pretty ineffective, and bringing in on Rafael Leao did not help them unlock the Scottish defence either.

Of course, Ralston deserves a ton of credit for his performance on the night. Very few had given him a chance to excel coming into the game and yet, that is exactly what he managed to do when the lights were the brightest.

Celtic player delivers masterclass against Cristiano Ronaldo

Ralston has never been a regular starter for Celtic. But what he has proven himself to be is a reliable option, no matter what the situation, helping him carve out a decent career for himself at Parkhead.

Ralston might not be a flashy name but teams do need players like him. Someone who is content to be the cover option and ready to deliver whenever called upon. He deserves a lot more credit than he often gets.

As for Ronaldo, it does look like his career his winding down. He looked a shadow of himself at the EUROs and while he can still score at club level and against decent international teams, it is pretty clear that he is not the player he used to be. Retired does not seem to be on the horizon though as he looks to score 1000 goals.