“They were sh**” - Fabio Coentrao destroys former players who criticize Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Real Madrid and Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao has hit back at critics of his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo for speaking against the Portuguese legend.

Ronaldo has evoked huge waves of controversy worldwide with his explosive interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan. He criticized Manchester United, took shots at current manager Erik ten Hag and blasted former teammates who had criticized him for his rough patch.

The interview was met with harsh criticism from former teammates, players and pundits alike in England. The likes of Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney publicly condemned the Portuguese superstar for his version of the truth in a candid chat.

Coentrao feels that these former players criticizing Ronaldo have achieved nothing in their careers and are not worthy of finding fault with the Portugal icon. He said via GOAL:

"I don't feel motivated to talk but I had to because I don't like to hear what they say about Cristiano. There are ex-players who were nothing, they were sh*t, and they talk about Cristiano as if they were something [in football]. They don't have to talk like that.''

The 34-year-old came out publicly to defend his former teammate, accusing others of profiting by using Ronaldo's public image. He further added:

“I was with Cristiano at Real Madrid. This guy lives football. He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone, f**k, he's a guy who scored 700 goals. There are many ex-players who talk about him, who were sh*t but profit of his name.”

Following the interview, Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo parted ways via a mutual termination of his contract. The 37-year-old is now a free agent.

---

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal starts their World Cup campaign today as they take on Ghana in their Group H tie

Cristiano Ronaldo will look to avoid a similar upset suffered by arch-rival Lionel Messi as Portugal take on Ghana in their opening 2022 FIFA World Cup match today (24 November). The 37-year-old looks all set to lead the team from the front, beginning his fifth FIFA World Cup campaign with a talented squad.

The two nations have met only once previously, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup group stages. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner in the 80th minute to hand A Selecao a 2-1 win. Portugal will go into the game in slightly better form than Ghana, winning four of their last six games, while the Black Stars have won a game less in their last six.

Portugal have a star-studded line-up but are winless in their last three World Cup opening day fixtures. Ghana, meanwhile, are capable of creating an upset on their day, as evidenced by their 2-0 win over Switzerland last week and their impressive quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup. The encounter is nicely poised to be an intriguing one.