Good-natured and sharp-witted. This is how Cristiano Ronaldo presented himself in the service of the national team, in view of his presence at the 2022 World Cup, hours after the bombastic interview in which he said he felt “betrayed” by Manchester United and disrespected by coach Erik ten Hag . Yesterday, the corner team captain took the field first (see photo caption) and at the end turned to Instagram to show that all he thinks is: “Total and absolute focus on the work of the national team. United .” group, with one goal in mind: to fulfill the dream of all Portuguese.”
Something that João Alves also believes in.”I can’t judge off the top of my head. It is well known that he is not at the peak of his form, but Fernando Santos is astute and has enough football, in addition to his knowledge of football, to know how to take advantage of that spirit of defiance and even anger at the moment at the club”, the former international told DN, recalling that ten days of training – until the national team’s first match against Ghana on the 24th – will “enable” Ronaldo to hone his physique.
The former player (35 caps) and now an RTP commentator believes that “there is none times ideals” to say nasty things or to be scrutinized worldwide. And he also does not believe that Ronaldo was so “naive” that he did not know that the interview would be broadcast in full in full concentration of the selection (next Thursday): “Ronaldo is not a boy not to know that. Frankly I think that the national team is another chapter. He will give himself body and soul.”
For the ex-black gloves, “it is crystal clear that Cristiano Ronaldo does not want to continue at Manchester United and is playing with the timing of the World Cup.” João Alves is really convinced that “Ronaldo will not play for Manchester again” and that he traced the way out with this interview: “I don’t see Ronaldo staying more than half the season and then leaving. After all, he is 37 years old. There are many unknowns in this whole story. Either you play a World Cup from another world and find a club that fills you, or you end your career after the World Cup. And since nobody is waiting for that last opportunity, it is natural that he sees the competition as leverage for a new project.”
Hugo Almeida shared the team’s dressing room with CR7 for ten years and has no doubt that this will be “Ronaldo’s World Cup”. According to the former striker, the captain is “going to transcend himself again in his fifth World Cup, because he feels he still has a lot to give to the national team and to Portugal”.
For the former FC Porto athlete, “Ronaldo doesn’t have to show anyone anything”, despite a shaky start to the season, with three goals in 16 appearances for Manchester United, a total of 1050 minutes. “The Portuguese should be very grateful to Cristiano Ronaldo for everything he has done for our country and for the national team in recent years. Everywhere he goes, he raises the name of Portugal to the highest level in world football. A bit ungrateful. They should support. It is enough to see people criticize from the outside,” said Jose Morais’ now assistant coach in Sepahan, Iran.
When asked last week what Cristiano Ronaldo was waiting for, even given the difficult moment the captain is going through, coach Fernando Santos replied that he expects him to be less tired than in the other closing stages and “hungry to make Portugal world champions”. This is before CR7 drops a bombshell about Old Trafford and lets the world talk about him, knowing that the full interview won’t be broadcast until Thursday, the day of the warm-up game against Nigeria at José Alvalade Stadium at 6.45pm. , and on the eve of the trip to Doha, Qatar, where the 2022 World Cup will be played, from Sunday to December 18.
Manchester United is waiting
Such was the resulting outcry from the interview that Manchester United were forced to issue a statement simply saying that they will “consider a response after all the facts have been clarified” and that the entire interview has been broadcast. But yesterday, according to the newspaper The TelegraphJoel Glazer, owner of the club, executive director Richard Arnold and sporting director John Murtough, alongside coach Erik ten Hag, met in distress to discuss the matter and apply the millionaire’s fine (disclosed before it took effect) of one million euros to Ronaldo for speaking without the club’s permission and, allegedly, for damaging the image of Red Devils with the controversial interview with journalist Piers Morgan and the newspaper The sun.
According to the interviewer, the conversation took place at the request of Cristiano Ronaldo, who wanted to tell “his truth”, with more things to be revealed, namely what the Portuguese thinks about the Glazer brothers, the American owners of Manchester United since 2005. Ronaldo’s truth says that the club tried to force his departure: “Not only the coach, but also two or three other people around the club. I felt betrayed and I felt that other people did not want me at the club.” either. club.” A feeling that, he assured, came from last season, when he left Juventus to return to the club where he had won 10 trophies, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League.
The player also accused United’s structure of making him the “black sheep” of the team, saying the club had retired in time since the departure of Alex Ferguson (2013). The reveals will continue in a phased manner until Thursday, when the 90-minute talk airs in full, which critics say is CR7’s sweatiest and most important this season, citing the fact that it’s not a regular talk. choice.
Source: DN
