Why the World Hates Cristiano Ronaldo

Here I sit, staring at my keyboard, knowing very well what I want to type but wondering what the reaction to such an article would be if only based on my views. So I decided today, to find out why the world hates Cristiano Ronaldo. (Okay, so maybe he isn’t hated so much on an universal level but he does get on the nerves of the majority.)

Lily Allen, a renowned singer, once remarked, “I would have loved it if United had lost 'cause it would have been Ronaldo’s fault, and I hate Ronaldo. Well I don’t hate him, but after the whole winking incident I don’t like him so much.”

According to Google, “I hate Ronaldo” was the most popular Manchester United related web search of 2007. The only way this could be topped was if Saddam Hussein came back to life and joined the Red Devils.

So why do people hate Ronaldo so much?

I once heard someone say it’s because “at Manchester United, he’s a midfielder that dances too much to deliver the ball with any consistency. And for Portugal, he’s a forward that can’t get through World Cup defenses by himself.” I have to agree with the dance analogy, for I’ve often called Ronaldo a ballerina, although not just because of the way he runs with his toes pointed out!

Ronaldo reminds me of Beckham; just another pretty faced, metro-sexual glam doll. I admit I do feel both players are overrated but since some might disagree, I won’t stress on that.

Another person referred to Ronaldo as a “Prima donna who doesn’t do anything more than send the cost of tickets through the roof.” Although he’s done a lot for his team,  there lies some truth in that statement too.

At a younger age, Cristiano revealed he was often ridiculed for his accent. He claimed he nearly quit football because of it. He said he “felt like a clown", and admitted, "I cried with shame.” Now if I was trying to be rude, I would have said that I still think he is a clown. On top of that, I would've declared that I feel, had he stopped playing football, the world would be a better place.

But I won’t do that.

Walking out with a man bag doesn’t exactly appeal to haters, or fans either. Once again, if I was trying to be rude, I would have mentioned his shaved legs, his feminine look, his plucked eyebrows, and his whiny nature.

Fear not. Because I won’t do that either.

Now, moving on to more serious issues.

We tend to associate footballers with their skills of dribbling, passing, ball control, finishing etc. But, despite a media full of admiration for Cristiano's skill, some people (456,000 according to Google) associate Ronaldo more with his skills of diving, winking, crying, whining, and arrogance.

Such qualities are immensely hated by a lot of people. Even if you are a huge Cristiano fan, you have to admit: if another player did such stuff, you would hate them with all of your heart because it tarnishes the image of the beautiful game.

Personally, this hatred towards Ronaldo all began at the Euros of 2004. After losing in the final to Greece, his childish bawling did not impress me. At. All. For most people though, the dislike began two years later, during the quarter finals of World Cup 2006. After helping his club teammate get a red card, Cristiano winked at his coach. That moment marked the beginning of the Anti-Ronaldo Era! And to this day, it still continues.

To finish off, here's one of the funniest quotes I’ve read about Cristiano. It perfectly describes his whiny, love-to-complain nature: “Ronaldo and I both understand that complaining of sore muscles, or other injuries, is a free pass to almost anything. But whilst I use my excuses to get a few minutes out of class in the nurses office, Ronaldo uses his to get a few days off from practice.”

p.s In order not to get beaten up, I’d like to mention that Ronaldo is actually quite a sensationally talented player. I just don’t like him. No wait, I detest him! 

And no, it’s not jealousy, it's personal!

Cheers!