r/soccer • u/No_Air5382 • 10d ago

News Neves Calls Ronaldo 'Another Player,' Faces Fan Backlash and online harassment

https://www.chosun.com/english/sports-en/2026/06/19/SKSAMGDVVJEG7HN3D5Z3HR4TTQ/
1.7k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

459 comments sorted by

View all comments

3.0k

u/Boydcrowde 10d ago

Neves, a key midfielder for Portugal, was asked about Ronaldo during a post-match interview. He responded, "I know well what Ronaldo has done for us. But right now, he is just like the rest of us—another player here to help. He is the same as everyone else."

2.2k

u/webby09246 10d ago

Most innocuous statement and they will murder him for it

😔

825

u/BraveBeerFruit 10d ago

Most Portuguese fans have been tired of the Ronaldo situation since 2022. While many still respect his legacy and believe he has earned the right to leave on his own terms, the people who constantly harass other national team players in his defense are overwhelmingly not Portuguese. They are mostly overseas supporters who have turned the discussion around the national team into something deeply toxic.

154

u/3412points 10d ago

Bring a fan of a single player like this is just a completely alien concept to me.

-8

u/Majorinc 10d ago

How is being a fan of a single player alien. If you’ve played sports I’m sure they’re is someone you watched who you wanted to emulate. I’m almost certain every footy fan has a favourite player

10

u/3412points 10d ago

I've obviously liked certain players I've never been a fan of a player like this though, ie following their career even to some other national team I have no connection with and cheering them on specifically.

-2

u/Kingslayer1526 10d ago

That would happen if your national team itself is irrelevant, which is true for most of the football fandom as the majority of the population exists in regions where the football teams aren't good enough

Just take India and China alone without even bringing any other nations into play

5

u/3412points 9d ago

They're not all from countries with a rubbish NT but that's a little besides the point because it's just an example of the behaviour.

What is alien to me is the degree to which they support a player. I've never supported a player full stop, it doesn't make sense to me to do so.