Fans roast MLB after football legend Cristiano Ronaldo's hilarious moment goes viral on Japanese TV: "Isn't it still a minor sport in Europe?"
Cristiano Ronaldo emerged on baseball Twitter on Saturday after he said he does not know Shohei Ohtani. Ronaldo, synonymous with brilliance in football, has had enormous success throughout his storied career. But the Portuguese seems to be less knowledgeable about baseball in general and Major League Baseball (MLB) in particular.
Ronaldo appeared on a well-known Japanese TV program and was asked a question during an interview with Japanese artist Risa Kunimoto:
"Do you know Shohei Ohtani?"
Ohtani's accomplishments have given Japanese fans great pride, especially considering that the Angels have a $2.7 billion franchise value. People wanted to know if Ronaldo knew about the baseball sensation. Ronaldo answered with a straightforward "No."
Watch the video below:
「大谷翔平選手はご存知ですか？」
「No!」 pic.twitter.com/s3O3FRAv6w
Fans took to Twitter to point out where MLB stands in terms of popularity after Ronaldo's unfamiliarity with Shohei Ohtani. Here are some of the reactions:
Shohei Ohtani's career accomplishments so far
Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, designated hitter, and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Ohtani, regarded early on as a premier two-way player, was selected first by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the 2012 NPB draft.
He was an outfielder and pitcher with the Fighters in the NPB from 2013 to 2017, helping them win the 2016 Japan Series. Ohtani played for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. After Team Japan beat Team USA, he was named the tournament's MVP.
Ohtani's first MLB home run, a 397-foot three-run shot off Josh Tomlin, came on April 3, 2018. He became the first Angels rookie to hit three home runs in three days on April 6.
On April 8, Ohtani made his second start on the mound and went 613 innings without giving up a hit. Ohtani finished with seven scoreless innings and twelve strikeouts.