The third day of activities for the Portuguese team in Al Shahaniya, Qatar, attracted fewer journalists than the first two training sessions for the team in the country of the World Cup.
In the previous days, around 300 press professionals went to the training center of the club that bears the name of the city to listen to a word, look for an image or at least feel the atmosphere of the squad after the controversies involving the biggest star of the team, Cristiano. Ronaldo.
This Monday (21), the day after the opening of the World Cup, the number of journalists dropped to less than half. That’s when the star decided to speak for the first time in Qatar.
“I speak when I want,” said the star. “Timing is always timing. On your side [imprensa] it’s easy to see how we can choose timings. Sometimes you write truths, sometimes you write lies.”
On the eve of the World Cup, words spoken by the star player in an interview with the British TV program Piers Morgan Uncensored dominated the news around his name and the Portuguese national team.
He was highly critical of his current club Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag. And he also accused “some people” of trying to force him out of the team, which he said he felt betrayed.
The statements contaminated the selection environment. All players who gave an interview after the episode were asked about it. Some showed discomfort. For Cristiano Ronaldo, however, the Portuguese squad will not be influenced by this during the World Cup.
“It will not influence what the national team wants. Staff, wardrobes… Everyone has known me since I was 11. Everyone really wants this competition, everyone wants to play, which is something I like to see, ambition is very high”, he said. . “Not only this episode that happened to me, but other episodes could affect the athlete himself, but it will not affect the squad.”
Ronaldo also mentioned that the strange handshake between him and attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes, which was caught on camera and went viral, was the result of a joke between them, who are teammates in the national team and at United.
“My relationship with him [Bruno] it’s excellent,” he said. “I was kidding with him. His plane arrived late and I asked if he had come by boat. That’s it.”
At the age of 37, the striker wants to put these episodes aside to focus on his biggest goal: winning the unprecedented World Cup title for the Portuguese national team. This is the fifth time he will compete in the competition and, given his age, it should be the last.
Even so, he assures that he will not be shaken if the cup does not come. “Of course I have to prove what I am year after year, but is the World Cup the most important competition? Yes, it’s one of the most, it’s a dream to win, but if they didn’t win any more trophies, I’d be proud.”
More proud, however, he would be if given the chance to face Argentine Lionel Messi in the World Cup final. As the opponent is also in its last World Cup, the possibility of a duel between them generates great expectations.
More relaxed after answering questions about the controversies in which he is involved, the Portuguese star joked about a photo released days ago by him and the Argentine number 10 that is part of a Louis Vuitton brand campaign. The image shows the two stars in a chess match.
“I’m focused and extremely optimistic that things are going to go well. We’re doing checkmate in life, not just in chess, and I do it often. I don’t know how to be direct about it, but I like being the one doing the check -kill against him [Messi]🇧🇷 It would be beautiful to happen, it already happened in a chess game, so in football it would be even more so.”
For Cristiano Ronaldo, however, even a possible duel between the two in the decision of the biggest football tournament in the world would not end the discussions about who is better between him and Messi.
“Even if I won the Cup there would be this debate. It’s like everything, there are those who like blondes more, those who like brunettes.”
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