Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal team-mates ‘frustrated’ with massive distraction at World Cup | Football | Sport
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal team-mates are growing frustrated with the former Manchester United star at the World Cup as he continues to bring unwanted attention, ITV pundits have claimed. Ronaldo has been admonished by Portugal head coach Fernando Santos following his latest outburst, which comes in a long line of the 37-year-old attacker being the centre of negative coverage.
The striker, who seems set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, appeared to show his anger over being substituted in Portugal’s group stage clash with South Korea. He then seemed to get into an argument with an opposition player.
It comes after the ex-Real Madrid star was let go by Man Utd for conducting a fiery interview in which he hit out at key individuals at the club. Hal Robson-Kanu thinks his international colleagues could grow frustrated as they are being distracted from their World Cup ambitions.
“It’s interesting. There’s clearly a pattern of behaviour there, just as they’re coming out of the group phase really beginning to focus on the tournament as well, another issue arises,” Robson-Kanu said on ITV.
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Meanwhile, Joe Cole argued that Ronaldo must learn that each of his actions will be heavily scrutinised by the media. The former Chelsea and England man has urged Ronaldo to focus on leading his country to success in Qatar.
“With Cristiano he needs to understand that every facial expression, everything, the scrutiny will be on him because he’s such a talented player, because he’s the icon for Portugal, because he’s being looked to as a leader,” Cole said.
“The frustrations obviously with the back end of what’s happened at Manchester United coming into the tournament, I thought that was a thing he could just draw a line under. Then you’ve got the links with another club, honestly I don’t understand the frustration.
“They qualified top of their group, got an opportunity to win this World Cup – I think they’re a fantastic team. I think he needs to show a different side, that leadership, the understanding his influence on his teammates and his country and his manager.
“We’ve all done emotional things on the football pitch, being taken off angry, it’s fine, but every game there’s a story around him.
“What we want is a story to be Cristiano having a great game, scoring and Portugal being a threat, because the World Cup is better with him being at the very very best of his game.”
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