Former Germany international Dietmar ‘Didi’ Hamann has strongly criticized Cristiano Ronaldo for his behaviour during Euro 2024, Soccernet.football reports.
Euro 2024 ended without a significant impact from Ronaldo, one of the tournament’s biggest names.
Now 39, Ronaldo’s performance showed clear signs of decline and he failed to make a substantial impact, contributing to Portugal’s early exit against France.
Despite Portugal having other strong players, Ronaldo played more minutes than any of his teammates, similar to his role at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Coach Roberto Martinez’s decision to rely heavily on Ronaldo was questionable, though Ronaldo’s presence and reputation remain undeniable.
Ronaldo faced considerable criticism throughout the competition, with Didi Hamann being a vocal critic.
Ronaldo’s most memorable moment came when he broke down in tears after missing a penalty against Slovenia, which Hamann described as ‘utterly embarrassing.’
Hamann also dismissed claims that Ronaldo could still play for most teams in the tournament.
The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder’s most severe criticism came when he highlighted Ronaldo’s actions after Portugal’s penalty shootout loss to France.
Joao Felix missed the deciding penalty, and Ronaldo did not console him, instead walking straight down the tunnel.
Hamann said, “Everyone went over to Joao Felix but he didn’t bother – he went down the tunnel. I think Felix needed an arm around the shoulder from his captain but he instead went down the tunnel. I just don’t understand how – he has been playing the game for 22 years – he doesn’t understand the team dynamics.”
He continued, “I think the way he behaved the whole competition – playing the last game against Georgia when they had already won the group and playing the most minutes out of all the outfield players when he wasn’t up to it anymore – was one of the most outrageous acts of selfishness I have ever seen in a team game.”
Hamann also addressed Ronaldo’s influence on young fans, saying, “He has got hundreds of millions of followers and a lot of kids look up to him. I just want to say to these kids, that if you behave like this in society, work, or in a team game then you won’t succeed. You will get problems.”
“He is going down as one of the all-time greats but when I look at his behaviour throughout the tournament I think he has let his team down. It was nothing short of pathetic.”
While veterans Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos have announced their international retirement after Euro 2024, Ronaldo has failed to call time on his Portugal career.
Rather, the Al Nassr star has his eyes set on featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
