• News

‘It’s blasphemy’ – Ferdinand calls out Ronaldo critics with excellent point

Getty Images
Advertisement

The former Red Devils defender has labeled the criticism aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo as a ‘disgrace’ equivalent to ‘blasphemy’.

Rio Ferdinand says it’s disrespectful to criticize Cristiano Ronaldo for his lack of pressing at Manchester United.

Despite hammering in the goals at Old Trafford, critics have taken aim at Ronaldo’s lack of pressing in games compared to his peers.

But Ferdinand has compared this criticism to ‘blasphemy’ and pointed out that all United are doing is playing to Ronaldo’s strengths.

“I’ve heard some talk and the only way I can explain it, is it’s blasphemy, when I heard some people talking about Ronaldo’s the reason why Man United aren’t going to be a success,” said Ferdinand on his YouTube channel.

“Ronaldo turning up at Man United, and yeah it’s great, but he’s going to be the reason why they don’t do anything.

“Listen, I’ve been seeing too much of it, don’t talk like that. Please, it’s a disgrace. Absolute disrespect.

“A player that’s done what he’s done in the game, a superstar of any generation, he’ll be one of the best players in any generation you can think about, and even again he just told people at the weekend what he’s about here… pressure’s on [and] he scores.

“To think that because he doesn’t press, because he doesn’t run as much as other people… that’s not what he’s there for.

“You play to people’s strengths sometimes, you can do that when you’ve got a superstar in your team, sometimes for certain clubs.”

Ferdinand added: “When you look at [Romelu] Lukaku, [Robert] Lewandowski, Karim Benzema… are they players, some of the best goalscorers of this generation.

“Are they players that you look at and go ‘he doesn’t half work hard, he doesn’t half-press the opposition. Harry Kane, he’s a great presser of the opposition isn’t he…’

“But we’re all talking about them like they’re great players. No one is questioning their work rate, their pressing ability. Let’s have it right. It’s got to be the same for someone like Ronaldo. It’s the bigger picture at United, the structure of the team, it was other things.”

Ronaldo returns to action on Tuesday night for a Champions League game between Atalanta and Manchester United. For match details and betting tips, check out the link here.

x