5 great players who publicly slammed Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history. The Portuguese has enjoyed a lot of success in the sport over the last two decades for club and country.
To name a few, he has claimed five Ballon d'Or accolades, four European Golden Shoes and three UEFA Best Player awards. The attacker has also won several trophies, including the Champions League, La Liga, Serie A and many more, making him one of the most decorated players ever.
However, having a great career doesn't necessarily mean a footballer will be well-received by everyone. Cristiano Ronaldo has received a lot of unpleasant comments from many over the last few years. Apart from fans, many great players over the years have slammed the Portuguese publicly due to varying reasons.
On that note, here's a look at five such players, active or otherwise:
#5 Gonzalo Higuain
Cristiano Ronaldo's obsession with being the best of all time has led many to accuse him of being egoistic. Surprisingly, his former teammate at Real Madrid, Gonzalo Higuain, is also one of them.
Two years after leaving Real Madrid for Napoli, Higuain reflected on his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu. Higuain held nothing back as he launched a fierce criticism of the Portuguese, saying:
Gonzalo Higuain slams ‘over-rated’ egotistical Cristiano Ronaldo, showers #Messi with praise: ble.ac/1Ft0eaW http://t.co/DtbVpcci7E
"He has a lot of ego. If you don't say he's the best, he's not your friend. Cristiano thinks he's the best, but he's overrated. I've shared a dressing room with Messi, and one is nothing like the other."
#4 Fernando Meira
Cristiano Ronaldo was the subject of intense criticism following a controversial incident in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March. The attacker scored what was supposed to be the winner for Portugal in a 2-2 draw with Serbia, but his effort was wrongly ruled out for offside.
Ronaldo reacted angrily by throwing away his captain's armband and headed for the dressing room while the game was on. Many criticised his actions, including former Portugal defender Fernando Meira, who was quoted as saying:
Ronaldo threw the captain armband and kicked it after yesterday's loss to Belgium 😲
(via @Salahuldien) https://t.co/DfPzPlrTeu
"It's a clear goal, but Ronaldo cannot throw the Portugal captain's armband on the floor. Cristiano's reaction is natural but unacceptable for the captain of the national team. You cannot throw the captain's armband on the floor and go towards the changing room while the game is still going on."
"I understand his frustration, and I agree with him because the goal was valid, but the referees are the ones that have to make decisions, without VAR, and he has to set an example. And yesterday's was not one to follow," Meira added.