“A toddler mode, a global superstar who regressed into extremely grumpy times. Stop the nonsense and act age-wise.”
The Athletic, a U.S. sports media outlet, directly hit Cristiano Ronaldo (39, Al Nasr), who is frequently traveling.
In an article titled “Ronaldo, what are you doing now?” on the 10th, the media criticized, “Is it Ronaldo’s way to lose elegance and go on a whirlwind?” and “Act like a father with five children.”
Ronaldo committed another misfortune on the 9th. It was the semi-final match of the 2024 Super Cup in Saudi Arabia between Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal. Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in the 41st minute of the second half when Al-Nasr was trailing 0-2. Ronaldo, who strongly protested against the referee for being declared explicitly offside, hitting Ali al-Bulaihi (34) with his elbow as he fought while trying to catch the ball that went off the touchline. This is the first red card Ronaldo received since joining Al-Nasr in December 2022.
Al-Bulaihi, who offended Ronaldo, is a center back for the Saudi Arabian national team. He pulled Son’s hair at the Asian Cup in January, and faced off against Lionel Messi at the Qatar World Cup. In December last year, he reprimanded Ronaldo after a league game and mocked him after Al Hilal won. Son Heung-min and Messi endured it, but Ronaldo couldn’t. Ronaldo lost control of the player who was sent off and clenched his fist as if to hit the back of the head of the referee. At the moment, there was a loud shout of “Messi, Messi” from the stands. Ronaldo continued his sarcastic behavior by applauding the referee and giving a thumbs-up to the audience.
Ronaldo has behaved erratically before. Ronaldo lost 0-2 to Al Hilal in February. Shortly after the match, Ronaldo did not appear to shake much. However, as soon as he exited through the tunnel, opposing supporters threw an Al Hilal shirt at him. After picking it up, Ronaldo showed signs of rubbing against his genitalia and threw it back at the fan. Ronaldo also performed two controversial ceremonies.
“Ronaldo is a role model for players all over the world. He is not used to losing games,” Jesus coach Al Hilal Jorge said, adding, “It is natural to lose your mind if you lose a game.”
Al-Hilal ranks first (77 points) in the Saudi League this season. Al-Nasr was the runner-up (65 points). Al-Nasr failed to advance to the final after losing to Al-Hilal at the Saudi Super Cup, and failed to advance to the quarterfinals at the Asian Champions League. Even after recruiting Ronaldo, chances are high that he will remain winless this season.
“Ronaldo is playing against a much inferior opponent in a league where the average attendance of 14 of the 18 clubs is less than 9,000 after moving to the retirement league to receive huge salaries,” The Athletic wrote. “Ronaldo is not a desperate and innocent 18-year-old who can be forgiven for the recklessness of his youth,” the media said. “He is a father of five and a 39-year-old man who has won almost all important trophies.” At the same time, the media criticized that “His sloppy, curt and boasting of his craftsmanship is Ronaldo’s character that is revealed throughout his career.” Ronaldo refused to play as a substitute when he was Manchester United, and left the stadium after being replaced. If his teammate did not pass him, he did not join the goal ceremony and threw a water bottle at the cameraman, yelled at the referee, or pushed a fan who was trying to take a selfie.
The media said, “Ronaldo regressed in his 40s with infant mode and extremely mean times instead of being polite,” and pointed out, “As one of the greatest soccer players in history, he should stop making ridiculous remarks and act according to his age.” The media continued, “Who can realistically reject an annual salary of 173 million pounds (about 296.1 billion won) and a status like a king,” but criticized, “There is still a way to take cash and act sophisticated and culturally.” 토토사이트