Cristiano Ronaldo’s Reaction to Morocco Defeating Portugal Divides Internet

Soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo’s emotional reaction to Portugal’s defeat in the World Cup in Qatar has drawn divisive reactions online.

Portugal was unexpectedly knocked out of World Cup contention on Saturday, losing a quarterfinal match to Morocco, 1-0. Ronaldo, widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, left the pitch in tears following the results, with the Portuguese star previously stating that this year would mark his final World Cup before retirement. Despite his illustrious career, Ronaldo will now likely never win FIFA’s top tournament, should his prior statements about retirement hold true.

Following the emotional moment, the reaction online drew an expected wave of celebration and sympathy. However, some also took issue with other aspects of Ronaldo’s conduct following the match, particularly the fact that he did not shake hands with the Moroccan team.

Above, soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo is seen overcome with emotion following Portugal’s World Cup loss to Morocco. Online reactions to Ronaldo’s conduct after the match were divided between reverence and criticism. Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images

British journalist and former BBC correspondent Jon Sopel was among the latter, criticizing what he perceived as Ronaldo’s lack of sportsmanship in defeat.

“Sorry. Poor form from Ronaldo not to stay to shake hands with the victors, Morocco,” Sopel tweeted. “For a man who is such an iconic figure… shabby.”

Other users responding to Sopel’s tweet were in agreement, accusing Ronaldo of being a “selfish, self-centered arrogant player” and a “big baby.”

Meanwhile, conservative commentator and journalist Piers Morgan lauded Ronaldo as an all-time great and took issue with his detractors. Morgan also made reference to the player’s personal troubles over the past year, possibly in reference to the death of his son in the spring shortly after he was born.

“Very sad to see ⁦⁦@Cristiano in tears as his dream of winning the World Cup ended,” Morgan tweeted. “Those mocking him should remember what he’s done for football. For me, he’s the [goat emoji] – and a great guy who’s had the toughest year of his life on & off the pitch. He’s earned our respect.”

Responses to Morgan’s tweet were less in agreement with his stance, with one user writing that Ronaldo’s treatment of the Moroccan team was still “embarrassing” and “selfish.” Another user also highlighted how Morgan’s take was seemingly in contrast to previous posts he had made about Argentina’s Lionel Messi, one of Ronaldo’s most prominent rivals.

Nevertheless, other notable users, including Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh and Cuban volleyball player Salvador Hidalgo Oliva expressed admiration for Ronaldo’s legacy.

Adopting a more clinical outlook, New York University (NYU) marketing professor and author Scott Galloway, laid out Ronaldo’s World Cup statistics, also noting that luck can be a major part of success.

Newsweek reached out to FIFA for comment.