Cristiano Ronaldo was caught ball watching in the 26th minute as Germany striker Miroslav Klose rose above him to head in the second goal from Bastian Schweinsteiger's free kick in the Germans' 3-2 win over Portugal in the European Championship quarterfinals.
The 23-year-old winger flailed his arms and then raised them. It wasn't clear if he was upset with his teammates or himself.
In what was billed as a battle between Ronaldo and his Premier League rival Michael Ballack, the Manchester United player was certainly the flashier. But Portugal could certainly have used the Chelsea midfielder's two-way play.
And his effectiveness.
Ballack tracked back the whole match, making a key block on a Portugal free kick directly after Klose's goal.
He also played a part in giving Germany the lead, sending the ball down the left to Lukas Podolski, whose low cross was side-footed home from close range by Schweinsteiger.
Then, with Portugal owning possession early in the second half and looking ready to equalise, the 31-year-old Ballack rose above defender Paulo Ferreira to score from another free kick from Schweinsteiger.
Ronaldo marked up this time, but it didn't matter.
The victory must have been sweet for Ballack, whose Chelsea was edged by Man United for the Premier League and Champions League titles.
Ronaldo did have his moments, getting free of the German defense in the 40th minute and forcing goalkeeper Jens Lehmann into a fine save. Striker Nuno Gomes scooped up the rebound and scored, bringing Portugal back into the match.
But while that goal might have revved Ronaldo into action, he started the second half with more histrionics, wiggling around in apparent agony after Arne Freidrich accidentally stepped on his foot. At other times, he appeared indifferent while strolling around the center of the pitch.
He moved to a more central striking role after coach Luiz Felipe Scolari replaced captain Nuno Gomes with Nani, but his fortunes didn't improve. He sent a 68th-minute free kick well into the stands and barely touched the ball in the final minutes, even after Helder Postiga's late header narrowed the gap again to one goal.
With a possible move to Real Madrid hanging in the air, you have to ask if Ronaldo was distracted. He has refused to quash rumors of an offseason transfer that would be worth millions of euros.
Scolari has confirmed that he will take over at Chelsea, where he knows that he will have one midfielder he can rely on for tireless defensive work.
