Who would have thought that, in a game featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Alexis Sanchez, Claudio Bravo would be the hero?

The Chile goalkeeper saved three penalties in the shootout as Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side booked their place in the Confederations Cup final.

Ricardo Quaresma, Joao Moutinho and Nani all saw their efforts saved by Bravo. Portugal planned for Cristiano Ronaldo to take their fifth penalty but they never got round to it.

Bravo was criticised at times last season for his uncomfortable performances for Manchester City but Wednesday’s efforts in the shootout will have left him on cloud nine.

While Portugal were zero for three, Chile didn’t miss; Arturo Vidal, Charles Aranguiz and Alexis Sanchez all hit the target as fans witnessed the rarity of just a six-penalty shootout.

What Bravo said to teammates before shootout

Vidal, who was superb for Chile, heaped praise on his goalkeeper afterwards, even revealing that the Man City man had told his teammates that he would save at least two penalties in the shootout.

"Claudio is extraordinary. He told us before the penalties that he was going to stop two or three," Vidal said, per ESPN Deportes.

Well, Vidal was right.

Bravo delivered an impassioned speech to his teammates before the shootout

Watch: Portugal vs Chile highlights

You can watch highlights from the match, including Bravo’s shootout heroics, below.

Pizzi praised Bravo's hard work

After the win, Pizzi praised Bravo for studying the penalty habits of Portugal’s players so meticulously.

"Fortunately, Claudio was amazing in the penalty shootout, the players who scored were amazing and I think we deserve to be in the final," the Chile coach said, per FourFourTwo.

"Nobody wants to be in that situation. You never know what is going to happen. But when Claudio was able to stop the first effort and Arturo scored, we calmed down a little.

"Claudio had analysed his opponents very well, he was very well prepared and that's why we were able to win.

"We needed to consider that penalties might be a possibility. I've had to take penalties as a player and it's not the same in training as in a real semi-final or a final. There are different theories.”

Will Chile win the Confederations Cup? Let us know in the comments section below!