Former England manager Fabio Capello has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo as “arrogant” and stated that the 37-year-old has become a burden for teams.
The Portuguese ace endured a torrid campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring just one goal – a penalty in their opening fixture against Ghana.
He was named in Sofascore’s worst XI of the group stages and failed to score in the knockout stages as Portugal lost in the quarter-finals to Morocco.
Just days before the start of Portugal’s World Cup campaign, Ronaldo was also released by Manchester United following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract.
Capello recently criticized the 37-year-old for his arrogance and feels that he brought it onto himself. Speaking to Italian news outlet Il Corriere della Sera (via Football Italia), he said:
“Cristiano Ronaldo brought it onto himself and for what he’s done in his career, it’s a shame.”
“As a player, he can’t be questioned, but he was arrogant. He offered himself without finding any club that would believe in him; he’s become a bit cumbersome for a team.”
It all started going downhill for Cristiano Ronaldo when he was benched by Erik ten Hag at Manchester United earlier on in the 2022-23 season.
The forward was visibly unhappy with the decision and once went off into the dressing room before the end of the match.
However, it all came to a head when he did an explosive interview with Piers Morgan last month in which Ronaldo criticized United and Ten Hag, while also claiming he felt “betrayed” by the club.
Having netted just thrice in 16 games leading up to the World Cup, the former Real Madrid star’s poor form continued in Qatar, where he struggled to make any notable impact from open play.
In what was potentially his last appearance at the World Cup, Ronaldo was seen leaving the pitch in tears following their last-eight defeat to Morocco, drawing his miserable year to a close.
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to search for a new club
Following his acrimonious exit from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo is without a club and continues to ponder over his next move.
He’s keen to play in the Champions League, but none of the sides participating in the competition have shown any interest in signing him.
The only club with an offer on the table for him is Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, who are ready to offer him a multi-year contract worth €200 million for each season.