Ristiano Ronaldo has criticized those who criticized him for not attending the burial of his late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota earlier this year. He cited a few reasons and stated that his conscience was clear. The football world was in mourning when Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, perished in a terrible vehicle accident in July of this year.
Ronaldo was conspicuously absent from Jota’s funeral, but other of his club and international teammates were present. In an extensive interview with Piers Morgan, the 40-year-old revealed that he has never visited a cemetery since the passing of his father and that he skipped Jota’s funeral in order to avoid making a circus.
“I get a lot of criticism from people. That doesn’t concern me,” Ronaldo remarked. “You don’t have to worry about what other people think when you have a free and good conscience. However, what is something I don’t do? I never visited a cemetery again after my father passed away. When you are familiar with me and my reputation? It’s a circus everywhere I go. I avoid going out since doing so draws attention to myself. This kind of attention is not what I desire.”
“I dislike it when you go to a delicate time to do interviews, talk about him, or talk about football. This illustrates how life may sometimes be like a carnival. I’m not involved in that. I shall be a part of another universe, but good luck if you choose to be a part of this one. Criticism is still possible. I was pleased with my choice,” he continued.
In November 2022, Ronaldo left Manchester United in a contentious manner after publicly criticizing the team in an interview. He reportedly received a tax-free yearly compensation of USD 200 million when he joined Al-Nassr in an astounding agreement.
Ronaldo continues to insist that Manchester United needs to reform because it is headed in the wrong direction.
In a recent interview, Ronaldo, 40, told Morgan, “I’m sad because it’s one of the most important clubs in the world, a club that I still have in my heart.” As Manchester did many years ago with Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, and David Beckham—all of whom went on to become major players despite their youth—you must collaborate with intelligent individuals to build a foundation for the future. Manchester United lacks a framework at the moment.
Given the club’s incredible potential, I hope that will change in the near future. It is among the century’s most significant clubs. We must all be honest and admit that we are not headed in the right direction. They must alter. I think it’s much more than just the coach and players,” he continued.
