Cristiano Ronaldo’s chapter with the national team is far from over. Despite the fact that Portugal has recorded three victories in this Nations League, the controversy surrounding the forward’s departure from the training camp continues to grow. And now there is a new element that has once again inflamed tempers in Portugal: Cristiano’s own “like” on some statements that were very critical of his teammates.
The protagonist of those words was Felipe Melo, former Brazilian footballer, who lashed out at the attitude of the Portuguese footballers toward their captain. The Brazilian publicly questioned the lack of support and respect toward the 41-year-old forward in statements to Sportv.
You can’t just let him leave as if nothing had happened
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The video ended up on Instagram and quickly went viral. It has more than 27,000 “likes”, but there was one that did not go unnoticed: Cristiano’s. An apparently simple gesture that has once again put the spotlight on the relationship between the captain and the rest of the Portuguese dressing room and that is generating discomfort and debate in the country.
Felipe Melo had put a particularly sensitive comparison on the table. According to the Brazilian, there is a notable difference between how Ronaldo’s teammates treat him and how Argentine footballers support Lionel Messi. In addition, he used Hojlund to illustrate the extent to which the Portuguese star remains a reference point for other players.
There is a grotesque difference in the way his Portuguese teammates treat Cristiano and the way Argentine players treat Lionel Messi
‘”There is a grotesque difference in the way his Portuguese teammates treat Cristiano and the Argentine players treat Lionel Messi,” he began by saying.’
‘Melo also highlighted the respect that, in his view, Ronaldo continues to command even among his own rivals. “I see much more respect from opponents when they play against Cristiano Ronaldo, and yesterday Hojlund got very angry with Jorge Jesus because his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, rather than the Portuguese national team. That is wrong, because no one there comes close to Cristiano Ronaldo’s ankles. He cannot be allowed to leave like that as if nothing had happened,” he said.’
The fact that Cristiano “liked” this very message adds even more fuel to an issue that seemed destined to die down after his three victories with Portugal. His gesture, although not accompanied by any statement, has reopened the debate over what happened during the training camp and once again places the captain at the center of the conversation.