Cristiano Ronaldo attacks his critics (Image: Getty)
Cristiano Ronaldo has fiercely defended himself after being criticised for crying during Portugal's Euro 2024 match against Slovenia. The 39-year-old forward was mocked for breaking down in tears after his penalty was saved by Jan Oblak in extra time in the round of 16.
Pundits Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer ridiculed the moment in their podcast, The rest is footballin an episode titled “The Ronaldo Show.” Lineker compared Ronaldo's reaction to that of a frustrated schoolboy, while Shearer accused him of having an inflated ego.
But in a conversation with his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo hit back at the criticism. He claimed his tears were not motivated by ego and called his critics “heartless” and “stupid” for failing to understand his emotions.
“They don't know anything,” he fumes. “It's much easier to criticize than to appreciate what you really have. We know how the press works, if you talk [positively] Nothing sells, you have to talk [negatively]. It's normal. And if you talk about Cristiano, it comes on the first page because I'm the most followed guy in the world.
In a dig at the likes of Lineker and Shearer, Ronaldo growled: “What am I going to do? Am I going to cry and end my career because two rats criticised me? The world loves me! The fans love me! That's my motivation. Nobody's going to steal my shine because two guys from TV that nobody knows criticised me.”
“When you have passion for what you do, you can't worry about what you feel. For example, I cried the day I missed the penalty… When I cried, it wasn't because I thought that if I didn't score, Portugal would be eliminated and the world would collapse on me. It wasn't because of that,” he added.
Cristiano Ronaldo was mercilessly mocked for crying after missing a penalty at Euro 2024 (Photo: Ralf Ibing – firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
“People don’t know me. Imagine you score the last 27 penalties and then you miss them and at that moment you feel bad for yourself. The people who come to the stadium, your kids, your mother, your girlfriend, everyone. I feel sad because of that.”
Ronaldo, who last week reached the 900-goal mark in his career, explained that when he doesn't achieve the lofty goals he sets for himself, it affects him emotionally. However, he stressed that it is this vulnerability that makes him authentic.
“I didn't even think about it [Portugal losing]”I felt sad because of the pressure I put on myself since I was 11 years old. 'Cristiano Ronaldo, you are the best player in the world', I always think like that. And I put a lot of pressure on myself [because of that].
“When things go wrong, you feel it. But I like it, I know how to deal with it. But when I missed the penalty, I felt bad for myself, for the fans, for my family – not because of other things people say. You have to express yourself. For me, if you hide these things, you are not yourself.”
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer stabbed in the back after Ronaldo's tears (Image: Rest is football)
Portugal eventually triumphed over Slovenia on penalties, with Ronaldo redeeming himself by scoring his penalty. However, their run came to an end in the next round against France, in a match that once again ended in a penalty shootout. Despite Ronaldo's success, Portugal failed and lost 5-3.
This tournament was the first major international competition where Ronaldo, despite his efforts, failed to score. His poor performances led many to speculate that it might be time for him to step away from the international stage. However, Ronaldo dismissed these suggestions, showing no signs of backing down.
“In the national team, people say he's finished, that he's 39, that he's getting old. Do you know why? Because I didn't score a goal. [at Euro 2024]. But I scored 10 goals [in qualifying]and before the Euro I scored two goals against Ireland,” the Real Madrid legend said sternly.
“Whether I score or not at the Euros, it won't change Cristiano's personality. People try to say bad things about me, but that's not a problem. Criticism will always exist… but I'm not going to shy away from it.”
One of the constants in Portugal's matches throughout the tournament has been Ronaldo's tendency to take ambitious free-kicks from distance whenever possible. This has inevitably led to accusations of selfishness, but the Madeira-born star has shrugged off the criticism, saying he “will always be like that”.
He also said that a missed penalty would never hurt his confidence. “Even if I miss, I will shoot. [again]…I will never change. Never. I'm not afraid.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1947735/Cristiano-Ronaldo-Gary-Lineker-Shearer-Man-Utd