Cristiano Ronaldo once personally messaged a soccer website complaining about the transfer value it gave him, then blocked the site in anger
- Cristiano Ronaldo is well known for not taking well to criticism.
- So when a soccer website valued him at less than his compatriot in 2020, he couldn't stay silent.
Cristiano Ronaldo once messaged a popular soccer website complaining about the transfer valuation it had given him before blocking it on Instagram, it has been revealed.
In March 2020, Transfermarkt published an imaginary line-up made up of highest value players represented by agent Jorge Mendes.
Ronaldo, who had just turned 35, spearheaded the attack and was given a valuation of €75 million ($84 million), making him the second most valuable player in the team behind only Portugal teammate Bernardo Silva, who was valued at €100 million ($112 million).
Shortly after publishing the graphic, Transfermarkt commented on its own post saying: "We can't tag Ronaldo because he blocked us after he saw his market value."
Speaking with The Athletic, employees at the company have now lifted the lid on exactly what happened.
"He sent a message first to our social media guys," said Christian Swartz, Tranfermarkt's coordinator.
"They answered him, explained why, and told him, 'The people in your age group, you are by far the number one'. It was £30-50 million ($40-66 million) difference (between Ronaldo and Silva), and then he sent some smilies, and then he blocked us."
Daniel Busch, Transfermarkt's manager in the United Kingdom, added: "Ronaldo was still in first place in value, but he said he must be worth much more."
Ronaldo is unlikely to be happy with his most recent valuation by Transfermarkt.
As of December 2021, the website values the Manchester United forward at just £32 million ($42 million), making him the 66th most valuable player currently playing in the English Premier League.
Among the names ahead of him on Transfermarkt's list are Arsenal defender Ben White ($48 million), Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg ($48 million), Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw ($51 million), and Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin ($54 million).
Ronaldo enjoyed a blistering start to his second spell at United after re-joining the club which he left in 2009 from Juventus in the summer, scoring eight times in his first 11 matches in all competitions.
However, the Portuguese forward's form has since dipped. He has scored just five in his last 12 matches and none in his last three.
Against Brentford on January 19, he reacted angrily to being substituted off for defender Harry Maguire in the 71st minute.
As he left the field, he could be seen angrily muttering to himself, before he then threw his coat to the ground and sulkily sat on a step next to the team's bench.
Manager Ralf Rangnick said after his side's 3-1 victory that the change was entirely tactical but he understood why Ronaldo was been frustrated.
"Cristiano is a goalscorer but it was more important to be compact at this moment," he said. "When we scored a third I said this exactly to him: 'I know you're ambitious to score but maybe in two years' time when you are a head coach like me and in the same position you'll understand.'"
Asked if he'd speak to Ronaldo about his reaction to being withdrawn, the German coach said: "I didn't expect him to hug me after being substituted. I have no issues whatsoever with Cristiano. I've been here six weeks and never had any issue with him – none whatsoever."
Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a majority shareholder in Transfermarkt.