"He sent some smilies and then he blocked us" - Transfermarkt explain why Cristiano Ronaldo blocked them on Instagram
As reported by the Daily Mail, Cristiano Ronaldo blocked the Instagram account of football data website Transfermarkt in March 2020. This was after he became incensed with the valuation the website had given him.
In March 2020, the football transfers website published a 'Jorges Mendes XI' graphic on Instagram, featuring the best players under the super agent's stable.
The forward was selected in a lone-striker role flanked by Angel Di Maria and Bernado Silva while €70m-rated Ederson Moraes was in goal.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was however unhappy that Transfermarkt had priced him at €75m behind Silva's €100m market estimate. He wasted no time in letting the website's staff know of his displeasure.
After publishing the graphic on social media, Transfermarkt later commented on the post saying:
"We can't tag Ronaldo because he blocked us after he saw his market value."
Now, in an interview with The Athletic, Transfermarkt's executives have disclosed how the saga unraveled.
Daniel Busch, Transfermarkt’s UK manager, told the news channel that the Portuguese first messaged staff via private message to understand why the valuation was lower than his expectations.
Busch told the publication:
"I think we put a list (on Instagram) with 10 players, 33 and older, and he (Ronaldo) was still in first place, but he said he must be worth much more."
Transfermarkt have revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo messaged and blocked them due to his valuation on there..
Incredible 😂😂😂 https://t.co/m6UIibkaXw
Transfermarkt’s coordinator of market values, Christian Schwarz, added:
"He sent a message first to our social media guys. They answered him, explained why, and told him 'The people in your own age group, you are by far the number one'. I think it was £30-50 million difference (between Ronaldo and the next player on the list), and then he sent some smilies, and then he blocked us."
Less than a year later, the Portuguese left Juventus for a second stint at Manchester United. The deal was worth £19.8m (€23.42m), much lower than his value on Transfermarkt.
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to defy age
The Portuguese has often been hailed for his mental strength and self-belief. Much has also been written about his keenly-crafted diet, outlandishly methodical exercise and recovery routine.
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a £50,000 cryotherapy ice chamber shipped from Italy to his new rented mansion to keep fit.
[SUN] https://t.co/htFf83Ns4j
In October 2021, the Sun reported that the star had a £50,000 cryotherapy ice chamber shipped from his previous residence in Turin to Manchester.
Such meticulous preparation has seen the 36-year-old top Manchester United's goal-scoring table in the 2021-2022 season. The Portuguese has 14 goals and three assists from 23 games across all competitions this season. He boasts a goal conversion rate of 23% and 55% shot accuracy.