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Football fans have slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for his exasperated reaction after Portugal slumped to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Slovenia in their recent international friendly (March 26).
Last week (March 21), a Ronaldo-less Portugal smashed Sweden 5-2, with his replacement Goncalo Ramos scoring in the 61st minute. Manager Roberto Martinez started the superstar forward against Slovenia, but he failed to make an impact even though he played the full 90 minutes.
Goals from Adam Gnezda Cerin and Timi Max Elsnik, in the 72nd and 80th minute respectively, earned Slovenia a shock victory at the Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana.
At full-time, Ronaldo was seen mouthing and gesturing angrily towards UEFA officials on the sidelines as he walked towards the tunnel.
Several fans were irate after Ronaldo's dreadful performance and subsequent reaction, and took to social media to voice their anger. One fan said:
“Pathetic cry baby."
Another chimed in:
"Portugal don't need Mr. Arrogant anymore!"
Here are a selection of their posts on X (formerly Twitter):
Ronaldo enjoyed a stellar 2023 with Portugal, starting nine of their 10 UEFA Euro qualifying matches. He bagged 10 goals and two assists as his side won all 10 games in their group. However, only time will tell if he can keep his starting spot ahead of the impressive Goncalo Ramos at the European Championships in June.
"Cristiano Ronaldo opened the doors" - Jose Mourinho clarifies his stance on managing in Saudi Arabia
Legendary manager Jose Mourinho recently clarified his stance regarding a foray into management in the Saudi Pro League, acknowledging Cristiano Ronaldo's influence on the nation's footballing scene.
The Portuguese manager has won everything in Europe, including two Champions League titles, two Europa Leagues, a Conference League and league and cup titles across England, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
There were reports of an offer from Al-Shabab just a week after his departure from Italian side AS Roma, with Mourinho also claiming that he had offers from Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal earlier in the season.
While he opted to remain committed to the Giallorossi, their relationship fell apart midway through the 2023-24 season. 'The Special One', as he calls himself, was subsequently seen multiple times in Saudi Arabia.
He was spotted at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Anthony Joshua's boxing match, re-igniting speculations about a potential move to the Pro League. However, in an interview with famed journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mourinho clarified that he was in no rush to take up a managerial gig, saying:
"If you ask me why I'm travelling to Saudi, because I'm going to enjoy three days, watching boxing, watching Formula One and being with some friends, not because I'm going to sign contracts, because now I have time until the end of the season to make the right decision for me."
Mourinho also praised Ronaldo's role in the progress of football in the Middle East, saying:
"Cristiano opened the doors in terms of believing that it is possible to be there and live there, to enjoy the development of a country that wants to be a different country with football that has a passion but is not developed."
