#3 Wayne Rooney, the United Kingdom vs. Portugal (World Cup 2006 Quarterfinals)
The UK finally had a chance at winning the Cup! Optimism prevailed in the days leading up to the quarterfinals match against Portugal, with the Ronaldo being considered the only threat to UK’s victory. As the match went on, both sides became increasingly impatient to break the stalemate and take the lead.
Source: Facebook
Carried by the flame of adrenaline, the United Kingdom striker Wayne Rooney squashes Ricardo Carvalho’s pass in the 61st minute. To make matters worse, Ricardo brawls with Ronaldo, his ex-teammate in Manchester and longtime friend, in front of the judge. The fight got Rooney sent off early, and the United Kingdom lost 1 to 3 in penalties, likely because they lacked Rooney, one of their biggest hopes. To top it off, the UK ended up paying the penalty for Rooney’s foul, adding salt to the fresh wound and lost the chance for the title.