In Portugal’s national-team orbit, Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to the centre of debate with a small social-media gesture carrying a larger message. The 41-year-old reacted positively to a video by Brazilian former midfielder Felipe Melo, who publicly took Ronaldo’s side in the dispute involving coach Jorge Jesus and criticised the treatment he believes the forward receives from within the squad.
Key takeaways
- Ronaldo liked a video in which Felipe Melo offered a strong defence of the Portugal captain.
- Melo said Portugal’s handling of Ronaldo compares poorly with Argentina’s support for Lionel Messi.
- The Brazilian argued that Ronaldo receives greater respect from opponents than from some of his own international teammates.
- He referred to a Napoli player who had scored and was then visibly angry, including an alleged shove involving Jorge Jesus.
- Melo said he backed Ronaldo over Jorge Jesus, while adding that he would revise his view if evidence showed the player had acted disrespectfully under an agreed plan.
A like that revived the argument
There had appeared to be a degree of calm after the earlier tension around Ronaldo, Portugal and Jorge Jesus. But the forward’s decision to like Melo’s post has reopened discussion because the video did not merely defend him; it also questioned the conduct and standing of those around him in the national-team environment.
In the video, Melo contrasted Ronaldo’s situation with Messi’s place in Argentina. He described what he saw as a stark difference in how the two countries treat their leading figures, arguing that Argentina’s players show Messi more recognition than Ronaldo receives from Portugal.
Melo said that, in his view, rivals demonstrate more respect towards Ronaldo on the pitch than members of the Portugal group do. He also raised the incident involving the Napoli scorer, saying the player became extremely frustrated and pushed Jorge Jesus.
Melo’s defence of Portugal’s record scorer
The former Brazil international insisted that no Portugal player comes close to Ronaldo’s level and argued that the country should not allow its most decorated footballer to leave in such circumstances. He called Ronaldo one of football’s greatest-ever players and Portugal’s greatest, saying that assessment was beyond dispute.
Melo made his position clear in the disagreement with Jorge Jesus: he was firmly on Ronaldo’s side. Yet he also set a condition to that backing, saying he would be the first to acknowledge an error if it were shown that Ronaldo had been disrespectful, or that his departure had been pre-arranged and agreed.
Ronaldo offered no written response of his own. His like on Melo’s post, however, was enough to be read as an endorsement of the Brazilian’s defence — and of criticism that has again placed the Portugal camp under scrutiny.
