Cristiano Ronaldo says he is “bullet-proof and iron-clad” ahead of the World Cup and adds that he has no regrets about his explosive interview with Piers Morgan about Manchester United.
It came as a surprise media appearance in Qatar this morning. Cristiano Ronaldo rocked up to urge the press to stop asking other Portugal players about him. They shouldn’t because that is what happens when you drop a bombshell interview a week before a World Cup.
“The atmosphere is excellent, no problems, we are completely focused,” Ronaldo told reporters, as per the Telegraph. “You can help by not talking about me. I’m completely bullet-proof and iron-clad. If you ask other players about Cristiano Ronaldo I would be upset. If you want to ask him about the World Cup and the team, I would like you to do that.”
I feel Ronaldo is misreading the room here.
Not every journalist in the room will do as he says like Piers Morgan because his future at Manchester United remains up in the air, with the club looking into whether they can sack him after his comments on TalkTV.
Ronaldo admitted this morning that he was “not perfect” but dismissed criticism of the timing of the interview, even though it has led to a flurry of questions for his Portuguese team-mates, again showing how he is the most self-centred footballer in the world.
“Timing is always timing,” he said. “From your side it is easy to look at how we can choose timings. Sometimes you write truths, sometimes you write lies. I don’t have to worry about what others think. I talk when I want to. Everybody knows who I am, what I believe in. They have known me [here] since I was 11. They will not be influenced by what people say and write about me.
“The group is very bonded together. I have no doubt this recent episode. It won’t shape the team.”
Ronaldo is used to having the spotlight on him but this is coming at a different time in his career. A period that has seen him struggle for form domestically as United look a better side without the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He also dismissed that there has been a rift with his Manchester United team-mate Bruno Fernandes.
“In these final stages of the competition I think that there are always those type of moments of controversy,” said Ronaldo. “We were just playing around – we have great relations. His plane was late and I asked him, ‘Did you come by boat?’ I was goofing around. Same with [Joao] Cancelo. He was sad during practice. I said, ‘wake up, come on, you’ve got this!’ Another controversy on your end.”
Portugal start their World Cup campaign on Thursday against Ghana.
