Former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic expressed his bewilderment after listening to Cristiano Ronaldo’s outburst after scoring in the World Cup. “I felt a certain confusion when I heard that. Back from where, exactly? Scoring two goals and proclaiming ‘I’m back’ sounds as if the player had disappeared for a decade and suddenly reappeared”, declared Ibrahimovic during his appearance as a commentator on the Fox Sports channel, last Tuesday, the 23rd.
He added that the phrase amused him, precisely because Cristiano Ronaldo has maintained a continuous trajectory of performances, goals and breaking records, always under the spotlight of global football. Ibrahimovic highlighted that the Portuguese’s career is constantly discussed, defenders still fear him, and the stands are still full to watch him, making the statement surprising.
Earlier, in the same week, Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance in the opening match of the World Cup generated a lot of criticism. Ibrahimovic acknowledged that he understood the striker’s frustration at the negative comments, but argued that the use of that specific expression during goal celebrations was not strictly necessary.
The commentator pondered the possible meaning behind the line, suggesting that “perhaps he wanted to indicate that he had managed to silence his critics again.” “If that was the intention, fine,” Ibrahimovic said. However, he concluded his analysis with a blunt analogy: “Cristiano Ronaldo announcing his return is as expected as the sun announcing that it will rise the next day.”
The recent victory boosted the Portugal team in Group K of the competition, accumulating four points. The group leadership, however, belongs to Colombia, which secured two victories. The decisive group stage clash for the Portuguese will be against Colombia, scheduled for next Saturday, the 27th, at 8:30 pm (Brasília time), in the city of Miami.