In a dramatic clash where Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance pulled Portugal level and Gonzalo Ramos sealed the victory late on, the media’s narrative around this match is painfully predictable. Outlets like ESPN and BBC are quick to peddle the “Ronaldo is back!” storyline, pumping up his performance by conveniently ignoring the contributions of his teammates. It’s a classic case of the media’s obsession with individual heroics, as if the collective effort of a team doesn’t matter unless it revolves around a marquee name.

Meanwhile, let’s talk about Croatia. A second goal ruled offside could have changed the narrative completely, but you won’t see CNN diving deep into the implications of VAR decisions. Instead, they’re more comfortable feeding us the drama of “Ronaldo saves Portugal” rather than examining how officiating impacts the game. This leads to a sanitization of the sport; the complexity of matches is boiled down to soundbites that fit neatly into their narratives.

What’s the takeaway? Big networks are content to feed us a diet of sensationalism and oversimplifications while ignoring nuanced discussions. They’re more interested in clicks and ratings than delivering the hard truths. So, before you buy into the drama they sell, start asking the right questions about who’s truly influencing the matches, and more importantly, why.