Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario is unhappy with the state of football (Image: Getty)
Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario says he can no longer watch a football match. Despite being considered one of the greatest players in football history, the two-time World Cup winner would rather sit for five hours watching a tennis match.
Ronaldo, 47, attended Mouratoglou's annual charity gala on the French Riviera last Sunday as a special guest. He showed the world his love for tennis, spending 30,000 euros to win an auction and get his hands on the racket signed by 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff. But most poignant was the former Real Madrid and Barcelona forward's damning assessment of the current state of the game.
The revelation that he now prefers tennis to football left the 350 people in attendance amazed and sent social media into a frenzy, especially as two of the world's biggest tournaments – the Euros and the Copa America – are currently underway.
Ronaldo said without complex: “I think I like tennis more than football now. It's incredible, I can't watch football matches. I think it's too boring. But I can stay 5 hours in front of a tennis match, it's crazy. I train three times a week.”
His words may have caused a sensation, but the sentiment of the double Ballon d'Or winner is shared by many. It is common today to see fans complaining about the boredom of the style of play played today and the apparent lack of talent at the highest level compared to 15, 20 or 30 years ago.
This can be attributed to several factors, including the highly professional and structured direction that football has taken. This phenomenon has been amplified by the tactics pioneered by Pep Guardiola, with players increasingly showing less individual ability, sacrificing creativity for team effectiveness.
Ronaldo [L] and Ronaldinho [R] are two football heroes (Image: Getty)
Ronaldo's former teammate and 2002 World Cup hero Ronaldinho also lashed out at the current Brazil team after their 1-1 draw with the United States earlier this month, expressing similar frustrations. “It's over friends, I've had enough,” he wrote on Instagram.
“It's a sad moment for those who love Brazilian football. It's becoming difficult to find the spirit to watch the games. This is perhaps one of the worst teams in recent years, it has no respectable leaders, only average players for the most part.
“I have been following football since I was a child, long before I thought about becoming a player, and I have never seen a situation as bad as this. Lack of love for the shirt, lack of courage and most importantly: football. I repeat, our performance was one of the worst things I have ever seen. What a shame.
Lionel Messi also criticized the lack of freedom in football (Image: Getty)
“I therefore declare my resignation. I will not watch any CONMEBOL Copa America match, nor celebrate any victory.” His scathing attack did not go down well with the Brazil team, and he has since revealed that it was all part of a bizarre marketing campaign.
But even Lionel Messi, eight times Ballon d'Or winner, known as the most majestic footballer in history and still competing in the Copa America, has highlighted the negative impact that Guardiola's influence has on football, even down to the youth level.
The Argentine icon said: “The Guardiola era has caused a bit of confusion. Everyone wants to play like that now. They tell kids of six or seven to play with two touches of the ball, quickly.
“At that age, what happened to me should happen to these kids… we shouldn't take away their spontaneity.” If three of the greatest players of this century say it, it's probably true.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1916685/Brazilian-ronaldo-nazario-tennis-football-boring