After a performance considered below expectations in a recent friendly against Nigeria, striker Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the center of a provocation by the Irish airline Ryanair. The company’s action, known for its acid humor on social media, quickly generated debate and interactions on the internet.
Ryanair’s joke was directed at a publication by the player himself, who had shared images of a Portuguese team training session with the caption “step by step”. Responding to the post, the airline’s official profile on platform X (formerly Twitter) mocked the star’s phrase, suggesting that he “needs to pass by more often”.
Ryanair’s irreverent profile on social media
The Irish airline has a consolidated marketing strategy, based on an irreverent tone and the use of memes and jokes to engage its audience and attract attention to the brand. This approach, which moves away from traditional corporatism, aims to create a closer and more fun connection with consumers, often transforming current events into opportunities for interaction. Another recent example of this tactic was the interaction with the Italian team, which, after missing out on the World Cup, posted photos of players getting on a plane, to which Ryanair responded with the question: “Where are you going?”
Performance of the Portuguese star in preparatory friendlies
In Portugal’s two matches before the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to find the net. In the first game, a 2-1 victory against Chile, he was on the field for 45 minutes. In the following friendly, the triumph by the same score against Nigeria this Wednesday, the striker played for 65 minutes, missing two clear scoring opportunities during the match.
Portugal prepares for its World Cup debut
The Portuguese team is placed in Group K of the World Cup and has its debut scheduled for next Wednesday, June 17th. The first clash will be against the Democratic Republic of Congo, at 2pm (Brasília time), in Houston. Subsequently, Portugal will face teams from Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage of the competition.
