"Ronaldo, Worst Possible Fiasco on the Day of Messi's Retirement Announcement" — Former Teammate Rooney Finally Breaks His Silence: "He Doesn't Understand the Reality That He Must Retire"

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Wayne Rooney (40) strongly criticized his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo (41), who left the Portuguese national team camp without authorization.

The UK's "The Sun" reported on the 14th (Korean time) that "Rooney fiercely condemned Ronaldo, who recently exhibited erratic behavior with the national team, stating that 'it was wrong in every way.'"

Ronaldo left the Do Jung (CEO) team camp during the international break after sitting out a recent UEFA Nations League match against Norway. The lengthy statement he subsequently released only fueled the controversy. This is because Ronaldo himself revealed that, under the pretext of managing the situation, he had directly written and instructed Coach Jorge Jeju with a "list of eight statements to make at the press conference."

Rooney took direct aim at Ronaldo's antics during an appearance on the football program "Stick to United." He stated, "It just so happens that on the day Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentine national team, Ronaldo left camp and issued a statement," pointing out that it was "an over-the-top action that belittled his teammates, coach, and the Portuguese Football Federation alike."

The comparison drew a contrast: while Messi, who had shared the world football stage as the ultimate rival for over a decade, exited to applause, Ronaldo staged a disgraceful farce of his own.

Rooney's sharp criticism stings because the two were key partners who led Manchester United's golden era in the past. Rooney appears to have finally lost patience, despite maintaining a good relationship with Ronaldo through numerous ups and downs, including Ronaldo's "wink incident" at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Rooney identified the essence of this incident as the shrinking of Ronaldo's status due to his aging. The analysis suggests that Ronaldo is denying reality despite losing the explosive power he had during his Real Madrid and Juventus days. The tactical center of the current Portuguese national team has shifted to younger players in their prime, such as Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes, but Ronaldo refuses to let go of his stubborn belief that he must remain the central figure.

This pattern of erratic behavior from Ronaldo is not new. During his return to Manchester United, he frequently clashed with Coach Erik ten Hag over playing time issues. Ultimately, after conducting a sensational interview criticizing the club and the coach alongside broadcaster Piers Morgan, he was effectively released. He is repeating the same conflict patterns he had with his club team at the end of his national team career.

Rooney stated, "Every player reaches a retirement period. Unfortunately, Ronaldo is not handling this reality properly," adding, "Instructing the coach on what to say at a press conference is an act I have never seen before."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original