Portugal look to grow with Cristiano Ronaldo after two close shaves

The forward is growing a superstitious goatee at the World Cup but the Euro 2016 champions cannot continue to ride their luck.

When Cristiano Ronaldo scored his opening goal of this World Cup – the early penalty in Portugal’s 3-3 draw with Spain – he added a twist to his usual celebration. Standing by the corner flag, he jutted out his chin and stroked his newly sprouted goatee beard.Naturally, the internet thought it knew why he had done so. It was a riposte to his great rival, Lionel Messi, who had posed in a photoshoot with a goatbefore the tournament to proclaim his greatest of all- time status. Ronaldo believes he is the greatest. Hence the message via the goatee.The truth is a little less sensational. “It’s a joke with [Portugal teammate Ricardo] Quaresma‚” Ronaldo said. “We were in the sauna on the eve of the Spain match and I started shaving. I told the others that I would leave the goatee until the end of the tournament if I scored the next day. And it brought me luck.”It is early days but already men’s grooming is a theme of the World Cup. According to reports in Brazil, Neymar has brought two hair stylists with him to Russia – one to cut, one to colour – and there are countless other players who appear to have spent a good deal of time in the salon before games.

We are into lucky beard territory with the Portuguese. “Maybe Cristiano wanted to have it like mine, as I have one as well, and maybe it is bringing him some luck,” the Southampton right-back Cédric Soares said with a smile. “I hope he keeps it. It has nothing to do with Messi.

“Should we all grow them? Why not? If you look at our squad, a lot of us have beards. I started mine in England and now I do not want to take it off because it is bringing me and the team some luck.”

Portugal have ridden theirs to varying degrees so far. Against Spain they were second best but Ronaldo bailed them out with that last-gasp free-kick to complete his hat-trick – the moment of the tournament so far – while against Morocco on Wednesday they were once again given the run-around but came away with a 1-0 win.