Gary Lineker Sends Message to Cristiano Ronaldo After “Unfollow” Incident
Former England international and current pundit Gary Lineker revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo stopped following him on social media, with all signs pointing to his comments in the ongoing debate between the Portuguese star and Lionel Messi.
During his podcast, the former striker explained that the Al-Nassr forward had unfollowed him on Instagram. The confession sparked laughter among the guests, and Lineker himself took it lightly. He even joked about it, saying he understood the decision, but used the moment to send a direct message to Cristiano Ronaldo, asking him to follow him again so they could “be friends again.”
Messi vs Ronaldo debate at the center of the controversy
The situation appears to stem from previous comments made by Gary Lineker, in which he stated that Lionel Messi is “the greatest player of all time.” In the same discussion, he named four football legends: Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldo Nazário, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo out of that elite group.
This reportedly did not sit well within the Portuguese star’s circle, as Cristiano Ronaldo is known for taking such comparisons very seriously. This is not the first time he has reacted in this manner: a few months ago, he unfollowed Real Madrid on social media after the club did not publicly congratulate him on his birthday, despite still following most of the teams he has played for.
He has also had public tensions with former teammates such as Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney, who have criticized him on different occasions. At the time, Cristiano Ronaldo responded with frustration: “I don’t understand those people… maybe they want to be in the headlines or in the news.”
A personality defined by competitiveness
The personality of Cristiano Ronaldo has always been strong and highly competitive, both on and off the pitch. He does not usually ignore criticism, but he distances himself when he feels he is not receiving the recognition he deserves.
For now, Gary Lineker has already extended an olive branch. It remains to be seen whether Cristiano Ronaldo will accept it… or keep the unfollow as a clear message.
