Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t play in Portugal’s latest World Cup qualifier, but he still became the talk of the internet. The 40-year-old striker shared a celebratory photo on social media after Portugal’s 9-1 win against Armenia, and reactions went wild.
Some fans slammed him for being self-centered, posting a pic of himself instead of the team, while others jumped to his defense, saying he has the right to celebrate the victory.
Football fans react to Cristiano Ronaldo’s post after Portugal’s win
Ronaldo missed Portugal’s match with Armenia because he was serving a suspension, his first red card in 226 international games.
Even though he didn’t walk the pitch, he shared a photo of himself alongside the team’s win online, and it set off a storm of reactions. Fans were split between calling him self-absorbed and backing him for celebrating the victory.
Some fans didn’t hold back, calling him out for the post. One wrote, Why did he put a picture of himself when he didn’t even play today’s game?” Another slammed him as “a gigantic narcissist.”
A third complained he skipped a team photo, saying, Ronaldo could’ve shared the team pic, but made himself the focus.
Not everyone was throwing shade, though. One fan jumped to Ronaldo’s defense, saying, “It’s his account and he’s part of the team. Another pointed out Ronaldo’s bigger role in getting Portugal to the World Cup, saying Ronaldo helped the team qualify over multiple games, not just this one.”
Portugal pulled off the win without their captain, moving one step closer to World Cup qualification. Ronaldo sat out after getting a red card for elbowing Dara O’Shea in the loss to Ireland, later culminating in a VAR-upgraded send-off.
Manager Roberto Martínez has asked FIFA not to extend the ban, but Ronaldo could still face up to a three-game suspension after the review. The football icon could miss Portugal’s first two matches at the 2026 World Cup, since only competitive games count toward the suspension.
For now, the team waits on the disciplinary committee’s decision, hoping their star striker will be ready when it really counts.
