“They want everything to be about Ronaldo” – Cristiano Ronaldo labeled ‘problem’ for Portugal by popular YouTuber from his country

Popular YouTuber AA9Skillz delved into why Cristiano Ronaldo is a problem for the Portugal national team. He theorized that most people and media outlets want everything to be about the Al-Nassr superstar due to his popularity.

Cristiano Ronaldo has earned 201 caps for Portugal, making the five-time Ballon d'Or winner the most-capped player of all time. The 38-year-old has also scored 123 goals at international level, which is also the highest of all time.

The Al-Nassr ace also captained Portugal in the 2016 UEFA Euros and 2019 UEFA Nations League, winning both competitions. It comes as no surprise to learn he is arguably the most popular footballer in the world and has the biggest social media presence, boasting more than 604 million followers on Instagram.

However, AA9Skillz believes the attention Cristiano Ronaldo receives from fans and the media is a significant problem for the national team. His comments came after Portugal defeated Luxembourg 9-0 on September 11 in a Euro Qualifier, a game which Ronaldo did not feature in due to being suspended. He said:

"So is Ronaldo the problem? In this aspect, yes and I'm going to explain why. Ronaldo is so big and such a huge name that everyone around the world wants to make up articles because they get clicks and views. So if they see Ronaldo not high-five Bruno Fernandes, they make an article about it."

He added:

"If Ronaldo doesn't score one goal and the next game Portugal wins by nine, they make an article about it. They want everything to be about Ronaldo and that's why it's a problem for us but at the same time, it's a good thing because you're taking the pressure off of Bruno and Bernardo Silva and the rest of the team."

The full clip can be viewed below:

While Cristiano Ronaldo does bring more attention to the Portugal national team, it's hard to argue against the positive impact he's had on the pitch for his nation over the past two decades.

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Cristiano Ronaldo has had a stellar start to his 2023-24 season for Al-Nassr

Even though YouTuber AA9Skillz may believe Cristiano Ronaldo is hampering the Portugal national team, the Real Madrid legend has been thriving for Al-Nassr this season in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese forward had a decent start to his Al-Nassr tenure last season, scoring 14 goals in 19 appearances. However, he was unable to secure any trophies, with Al-Ittihad winning the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo returned with a vengeance in pre-season, scoring six goals to help the Knights of Najd win the Arab Club Champions Cup. The Portugal megastar has gone from strength to strength since under Luis Castro, scoring six goals and registering five assists in five appearances across all competitions.

Al-Nassr are currently sixth in the league with nine points after five games but have reversed their trajectory after losing their opening two games.

The Knights of Najd next play Al-Raed away in the SPL on September 16 before commencing their AFC Champions League campaign away against Persepolis on September 19.