Cristiano Ronaldo answers Portuguese prayers

In international terms he is still a greenhorn, but the winger showed he has no fear for the top stage.

In international terms he is still a greenhorn with just a dozen caps under his belt, but Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo showed the biggest stage holds no fears for him after a superlative performance in Wednesday's Euro 2004 semi-final win over the Netherlands.

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Had it not been for senior statesman Luis Figo, his reputation on the line after his substitution against England, stealing some of his thunder with a man-of-the-match showing, Ronaldo would surely have pinched the accolade for himself, his twisting and turning — and headed goal — flooring the Dutch.

In a side laden with creative midfield talent but short on killer instinct Ronaldo, despite his tender years, stands out as the man who, along with senior statesman Luis Figo, possesses both qualities.

Just a year into a Manchester United career which brought him an FA Cup winner's medal after he scored in the final, Ronaldo has stylishly and seamlessly made the step up into the international arena.

Now he is on the verge of adding a European Championship winner's medal if Portugal can clear the final hurdle Sunday in the shape of either the Czech Republic or Greece.

"It's an incredible sensation, something unique," said Ronaldo after his opening header and a belting drive from Maniche proved enough to floor the Dutch, who had only Jorge Andrade's own goal to give the 1988 champions a consolatory crumb of comfort.

"We will do everything in our power to finish the job now on Sunday. It will be a spectacular encounter.

"But we must be aware that in 20, 30 or 40 years time people will only talk about who won, not who came second," Ronaldo warned.

"We should have scored four or five against Holland and we must do a bit of fine-tuning regarding our finishing," admitted the 19-year-old from Madeira, whose full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.

Ronaldo leapt high above the Dutch defence to power home a first-half header just as he had done in the opening match of the tournament against Greece, against whom he had conceded a penalty which helped to seal a shock defeat.

A substitute in that first match, Ronaldo's effervescence shone through from the moment he came on and he has been a fixture ever since, torturing first Russia, then Spain, England and now the Netherlands, to torpedo the dreams of Dutch clubmate Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

The pair hugged afterwards, exchanged shirts and paid each other mutual tributes.

"He is an extraordinary plar. He congratuated me afterwards and I tried to lift his spirits," said Ronaldo of the striker who was a key beneficiary of his silky wing skills last season in the English Premiership.

Ronaldo earned his 19-million-euro move (23-million-dollar) last summer to Old Trafford after brilliantly creating two goals in Sporting Lisbon's friendly win over United.

To those creative talents he has over the past month added ever greater tenacity and, as clearly demonstrated by his two goals in the tournament to date, a head for heights as Portugal climb towards the summit.

The merest hint of a question mark over his temperament remains, as witnessed by the needless booking Ronaldo earned Wednesday for ripping off his shirt to celebrate.

But a clean disciplinary slate prior to that means Portugal's king of the dribble and United's 'new George Best' is free to line up on Sunday.