Just a few days after devastating the United States with an assist on a 95th-minute goal in a 2-2 tie with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo became an unlikely American hero.
Though his assist Sunday against the US delayed the Americans from advancing out of the group, his only goal of the World Cup ended up sending the US through anyway.
With the US in position to be eliminated from the World Cup if Ghana won its game against Portugal  on Thursday, Ronaldo’s left-footed shot in the 80th minute broke a tie against Ghana and gave Portugal a 2-1 win, which allowed the US to advance to the Round of 16 despite a 1-0 loss to Germany.
The US and Portugal both finished with four points, but the USÂ advances because of a better goal differential.
“We created many opportunities, but we could not finish them,” Ronaldo said. “We knew we had to score three goals and were depending on the result of the Germany game and we couldn’t do that.
“We deserved more, but that’s football. We are leaving with our heads held high.”
Ronaldo, one of the most recognizable stars before the World Cup, battled a knee injury throughout the tournament.
Even before Ronaldo’s deadly cross against the US, he was vilified by soccer fans for his chiseled looks and model girlfriend, Irina Shayk. But he instantly became a celebrated star in the country that had been cursing his name, with images posted all over Twitter of the Portuguese star with an American bald eagle, an American flag and his bizarre haircut helping form the letters “U.S.A.”