Cross-tiano Ronaldo.
Maybe it’s in the make-up of a born winner to take defeat of any kind as a professional loss and personal insult. Perhaps it’s just that he wasn’t quite aware he was on camera. Whatever the reason, Cristiano Ronaldo looked thoroughly peeved as he missed out on a prestigious FIFA award on Thursday.
He was pipped to the outstanding men’s player gong at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich by deserved winner Robert Lewandowski. The Polish marksman scored a remarkable 55 goals in just 47 games last season as he helped German giants Bayern Munich to a treble. Not that Ronaldo looked magnanimous about it.
Whilst Lionel Messi assumed a non-plussed expression via video link-up, the Portuguese sat cross-armed and seemingly cross-faced, like a toddler who’d been sent to the naughty step for misbehaving. Although much mirth was made on social media about Ronaldo’s reaction, there may have been another reason for his chagrin.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino made such a drama out of presenting the award – deciding to ‘surprise’ the winner by walking into their live-feed and presenting the honour personally – that you’d forgive Ronaldo for looking unimpressed at the shiny-headed administrator for milking the moment.
Alas, whatever the reason, the Juve man’s expression has already become a meme for the ages. And in some ways, that makes him the real winner…sort of.
https://twitter.com/QureshiCb/status/1339718982467805195
https://twitter.com/Mica32x/status/1339656750560145409
