The Ravens left Rio de Janeiro with a 34-31 win over the Cowboys, but the scene after Tyler Loop’s game-winning kick is what took over the internet.
Loop drilled a 56-yard field goal as time expired to cap the NFL’s first-ever game at the Maracanã, the famous stadium in Brazil better known for World Cup finals than American football. Baltimore’s sideline erupted, and the entire roster broke into Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark “Siuuu” celebration as the crowd roared along with them.
The moment landed fast. Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho called it one of the coolest scenes he’s seen in sports lately and said the stadium’s reaction was “cold.” His post spread quickly as fans replayed the celebration over and over.
On the field, the Ravens had plenty else to point to. Derrick Henry passed Eric Dickerson to move into ninth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list and finished with two rushing touchdowns. Zay Flowers added five catches for 84 yards, helping keep Dallas’s defense on its heels throughout the afternoon.
There had already been attention on the Maracanã surface before kickoff, with soccer players voicing real safety concerns about the turf just days earlier. Lamar Jackson had also dismissed any edge the Cowboys might claim as “America’s Team” before the trip. None of that changed the outcome once Loop’s kick went through.
But the Ronaldo tribute came with a catch that fans were quick to notice: Cristiano Ronaldo is Portuguese, not Brazilian. Brazil has its own legendary Ronaldo, the striker who starred for the national team long before Cristiano made the “Siuuu” celebration famous.
That led to immediate pushback online, with plenty of fans jumping into the replies to correct the mix-up. “The only reason the crowd did the chant is cuz they know Cristiano.
The reason the dumb*** Ravens did that is cuz THEY thought Cristiano played for Brazil,” one fan wrote. “Bro, that Ronaldo is not Brazilian,” another said.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is Portuguese. The celebration is not Brazilian,” a third pointed out.
“Too bad Ronaldo isn’t from Brazil,” a fourth added. “Wrong Ronaldo,” someone else chimed in.
Mix-up and all, the night still gave Baltimore a memorable finish on foreign soil. The Ravens improved to 2-1, while the Cowboys dropped to 1-2 and head back to Dallas looking to reset.
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