Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has defended Cristiano Ronaldo amid the controversy surrounding the Portugal captain and his departure from the national team's camp.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Ferdinand reacted to criticism of his former teammate following Ronaldo's disagreement with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus.
"Where were Portugal before Cristiano Ronaldo? What had they ever done? Had they even qualified for tournaments? Let alone won anything," Ferdinand wrote on X.
The former England international said he was frustrated that Ronaldo was being judged mainly on the final years of his career, noting that the 41-year-old continues to produce impressive numbers.
Ferdinand also urged fans to look back at Ronaldo's spells with Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United, saying it felt as though the Portuguese forward had "crammed three careers into one" — all of them at world-class level.
Ronaldo left Portugal's training camp in Copenhagen on September 30 ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark. His departure followed reports of tensions with Jesus after the forward remained an unused substitute in the 2-1 victory over Norway.
Ronaldo later confirmed his departure but did not announce his retirement from international football, saying he would explain the reasons behind his decision "in due course." His future with the Portugal national team therefore remains uncertain.
