adminMicah Richards has fired back at critics of Cristiano Ronaldo following Portugal’s World Cup exit, accusing some pundits and fans of double standards in the never-ending debate between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. And he made his feelings clear…
Portugal’s hopes of World Cup glory were dashed in Dallas, where a dramatic stoppage-time winner from Mikel Merino — who came on for Dani Olmo in the 85th minute — sealed Spain’s place in the quarter-finals. They’ll now face Belgium on July 10, while Portugal’s tournament run came to a heartbreaking end.
This defeat also marked Portugal’s third knockout-stage elimination at the hands of Spain in major tournaments — and, more significantly, it brought down the curtain on Ronaldo’s World Cup journey. Speaking after the match, the 41-year-old confirmed he won’t feature in another edition of the tournament.
“It’s sad to go out like this, but I gave everything — always my best,” Ronaldo said. “I leave with a clear conscience. That’s football, that’s a footballer’s life. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You just have to keep going.”
“This was my last World Cup, but as for everything else — there’ll be time to reflect, to be with my family, and no decisions will be made in the heat of the moment,” he added.
Over six World Cups, Ronaldo scored 11 goals — ten of them in the group stage. His only knockout goal came against Croatia earlier in this tournament. While he did net three times in this year’s competition, his overall performance drew criticism, particularly against Spain, where he managed just 19 touches.
Now, Micah Richards has had enough of the backlash. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, the former England defender didn’t hold back.
“I can’t stand this Ronaldo slander,” Richards said. “I really don’t like it. Yes, he’s one of the greatest ever, and from the very start of this tournament, it’s felt like there’s been an agenda against him.”
“Obviously, he’s not going to be sprinting around like a teenager anymore. But to be at a World Cup, competing at this level and still scoring — sure, the numbers aren’t spectacular, but the way people talk about Ronaldo compared to Messi feels incredibly hypocritical.”
“Whether you prefer Ronaldo or Messi, we all know Messi isn’t covering the ground he did two or three years ago. Yet we celebrate his genius, his stats, the way he comes alive when the ball reaches him — even when he’s walking around the pitch.”
“With Ronaldo, it’s the same. He hasn’t been a high-press player for a while, but his movement inside the box is still exceptional.”
Alan Shearer backed Richards up, adding: “It’s tough to criticise a giant of the game. What Ronaldo has achieved, his records — they’re just absurd.”
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