Left image credit: REUTERS/Pedro Nunes Right image credit: REUTERS/Peter Powell
Cristiano Ronaldo's dramatic exit from the Portugal camp has divided opinion across football, with the incident attracting worldwide attention and plenty of differing opinions in the media.
One man who has never been one to sit on the fence with topics surrounding the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is Jamie Carragher, and the former Liverpool defender has delivered a stinging verdict on the ongoing saga.
Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher reserved his harshest words not for Ronaldo himself, but for two high-profile figures who were quick to leap the 41-year-old's defence.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo left the Portugal camp
REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Ronaldo walked out on the national team in Copenhagen after head coach Jorge Jesus left him as an unused substitute against Norway, before confirming he would not start against Denmark either.
The forward later released a statement running to nearly 2,000 words on Instagram, accusing Jesus of breaking his word while apologising to supporters and insisting he remains available for selection. Jesus has not ruled out a return, and it represents a dramatic start to his new tenure.
The episode quickly became a talking point far beyond Portugal, and a number of familiar faces were quick to back the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Jamie Carragher hits out at Rio Ferdinand and Piers Morgan
Via Sky Sports Premier League
Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo's former Man United teammate, insisted the forward had been treated inappropriately and turned his fire on Jesus on his show, Rio Presents. "This manager thinks he is Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola," he said.
Piers Morgan, a long-time friend of Ronaldo's, went further still, likening Jesus to Erik ten Hag, the former United boss whose fallout with Ronaldo brought a premature end to his second spell at Old Trafford.
The broadcaster has routinely defended Ronaldo's actions over the years, and Carragher was having none of it, from either party.
“People think it’s good to be close to people in the game, but this is where it becomes a problem," he said on the Overlap Daily.
“People like Piers Morgan and Rio Ferdinand, who are big people in the media whether you like them or not, are embarrassing themselves with the nonsense that they’re coming out with because they know Ronaldo. You can know someone and try to look after them, but you cannot defend the indefensible.”
Following his comments, Morgan responded to a post on X from the Overlap Daily,claiming he would settle the dispute and back himself against Carragher on his talk-show Football Uncensored.
Gary Neville, who spent six years alongside Ronaldo at United, produced a similar tone. He admitted he could not endorse the statement and warned that episodes like this make Ronaldo harder to like, even for those who admire him most.
With Portugal managing four wins from four in the international break, netting nine goals, Ronaldo's position in the squad looks uncertain. The next international break comes in November (9–17), which gives time for this feud to subside as club football resumes, but CR7 could still face a six-month suspension for his exit.