Portuguese defender Pedro Felipe Teodsio Mendes, who briefly played alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid, has issued a warning to those questioning the five-time Ballon d’Or winner: dismissing him would be a mistake. Ronaldo has faced widespread criticism for his performances in Germany, especially after breaking down in tears following a missed penalty against Slovenia. However, Mendes believes in Ronaldo’s ability to bounce back.
The debate over whether Roberto Martinez should drop Ronaldo continues. The Portugal manager has been criticized for sticking with the striker, and scrutiny will only intensify if Ronaldo fails to score against France on Friday.
Mendes, however, thinks that Ronaldo’s critics will spur him on, suggesting that the negativity “fuels him” and that Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer could still emerge as their hero in the tournament.
“To be a bit ironic, it’s actually good that the French, the Portuguese and the whole world are suspicious of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Mendes said, per Record. “The more haters he has, the more life they give him and the more he stands out. Who’s to say that he won’t be able to take advantage of this last less successful performance to join forces and become the hero of the next game, just like he has been on other occasions? It’s actually good that this distrust exists, because he could, at any moment, open up and celebrate his first goal in this European Championship.”
Mendes appears optimistic about Ronaldo’s potential impact in Portugal’s crucial match against France in Hamburg on Friday, which could decide their path to the Euro semi-finals.
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