Cristiano Ronaldo was just one step away from the Portugal vs Slovenia match being his last Continental competition appearance. With the missed penalties and several wasted chances, it was an emotional night for CR7 who could no longer hold his tears in. However, a good deal of them might not have anticipated the criticism that followed him for his emotional outburst in the match.

Many pundits and fans have disapproved of Ronaldo’s emotional outburst during such a crucial match. However, amid this backlash, someone, who was once a rival to the 39-year-old, has come to his defense. And that player is none other than retired soccer star Emmanuel Adebayor.

Cristiano Ronaldo receives unexpected support

Emmanuel Adebayor, who used to play for Arsenal and Manchester City during Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United days, recently expressed his support. Talking about the Al Nassr striker’s missed penalty chance, the ex-striker stated, “Kicking a penalty kick for your country is a great thing.”

He added, “The whole country is watching you, especially when your name is Ronaldo.” Adebayor then shared his thoughts on the emotional aftermath of the missed penalty. He said, “Honestly, from an emotional point of view, Cristiano has every reason to cry.”

Slamming the critics, the ex-Arsenal star added, “If you are not a footballer, you will not be able to understand.” Well, one former soccer star seems to have not understood the reason for this emotional outburst and went on to criticize Cristiano Ronaldo.

CR7 told to act more like a captain

Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo’s outburst after a missed penalty became a talking point on talkSport. Here former soccer players Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy debated over this topic. While Jamie O’Hara took this act of crying as the legendary striker’s passion for his nation, Cundy was not pleased.

In his criticism, he stated, “It wasn’t like you missed a penalty shootout or the game was over. The game was still going on around him. I mean, you’ve got to hold it together at that moment, surely.” He further reminded the Portuguese talisman that he was the team’s captain and should prioritize his job.

Subsequently, he alleged that the Portuguese striker tends to make things about himself rather than the team. These two statements show the two extreme sides this incident has created. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.