Ronaldo dropped because of ‘political ban’ says Erdogan | World Cup News

Turkish chief says the Portuguese footballer is ‘somebody who stands for the Palestinian trigger’, regardless of lack of public statements by Ronaldo on Palestine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo was subjected to a “political ban” on the World Cup, as he in contrast the Portuguese footballer to Lionel Messi.

“They’ve wasted Ronaldo. Sadly, they’ve imposed a political ban on him,” Erdogan mentioned on Sunday whereas talking at a youth occasion within the japanese Erzurum province.

“Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with simply half-hour remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his vitality,” Erdogan mentioned.

“Ronaldo is somebody who stands for the Palestinian trigger,” he added.

The 37-year-old got here on in its place within the second half of a World Cup quarterfinal recreation towards Morocco wherein Portugal misplaced 1-0.

The previous Manchester United and Actual Madrid footballer had additionally been on the bench when Portugal took on Switzerland within the spherical of 16, making an look in its place.

The loss towards Morocco meant that Ronaldo, the one participant to attain in 5 separate World Cups, was eradicated from what’s going to most certainly be his final World Cup, and was unable to carry again his tears as he walked in the direction of the altering rooms.

Ronaldo has by no means issued any public statements on the Israel-Palestine battle, regardless of false stories and doctored photographs rising periodically on-line.

A widely-circulated story that Ronaldo had donated 1.5m euros ($1.59m) to Palestinians after he auctioned off a golden boot award was denied in 2019 by a sports activities administration firm representing the footballer.

A picture of Ronaldo holding an indication saying “Along with the Palestinians” in Spanish that was extensively shared on-line was additionally doctored and was in actual fact an expression of help for the victims of an earthquake in Spain in 2011.

Ronaldo has been pictured with a Palestinian scarf round his shoulders, nevertheless it represented the Palestinian Soccer Affiliation, and the ex-Actual Madrid and Manchester United participant was standing subsequent to the top of that affiliation, Jibril Rajoub.

Ronaldo has additionally met a number of Israeli ministers and has been photographed presenting certainly one of his soccer shirts to ex-Israeli overseas minister Israel Katz.