"Cristiano has many enemies in Portugal due to the way he is"
Ex-Atletico Madrid and Portugal player Paulo Futre has said that Cristiano Ronaldo still has a lot of haters in his own country despite his heroics in leading the nation to Euro 2016 glory. Russia vs Portugal
Paulo Futre, ex-Atletico Madrid player and now commentator for Portuguese TV, has told Spanish radio programme El Larguero that Cristiano Ronaldo still has his fair share of detractors in Portugal despite his heroics this summer in leading his home nation to Euro 2016 glory.
Ronaldo haters
“Cristiano is Portuguese,” said Futre. “He’s achieved the maximum, he’s been the Champion of Europe, but he continues to have enemies in Portugal.”
Futre claimed that the reason why Ronaldo attracts so many ‘haters’ is down to the way he sometimes behaves on and off the field.
“It’s the way he is,” said Futre, who also played for Sporting, Porto, Benfica and 44 times for Portugal. “He’s very direct, and that’s what makes him have enemies in his own country.”
Some prefer Messi in Portugal
The 50-year old even suggested that there are some people in Portugal who’d rather see Lionel Messi win the Ballon d’Or over the Real Madrid man from the island of Madeira, and claimed that he's heard fans in Portugal chanting the Barcelona star's name.
“Without doubt there are people who’d want Messi to win it. Cristiano is hot-headed. It’s been a while since I heard the ‘Messi, Messi, Messi’ chant, but before when he arrived at a hotel in Portugal with the national team, people started singing that and it was a disgrace.”