Football superstar Ronaldo’s China trip marred by fan anger at postponed matches, live-streaming, commercial disputes, intrusive behaviour
- Portuguese superstar accused of disrespect for playing with phone at press conference
- Live-streaming requests, intrusive behaviour, contractual wrangles upset sporting icon
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s eighth tour of China has descended into rancour and farce both for the Portuguese legend and his legion of Chinese fans.
A combination of fan frustration at postponed matches and Ronaldo’s annoyance at local internet celebrities exploiting his presence to boost their online profiles has created a toxic atmosphere, reported China Newsweek.
The player’s Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, were set to take on Chinese Super League teams Shanghai Shenhua and Zhejiang Pro on January 24 and 28 in Shenzhen in southeastern China.
But just two days after the team’s arrival in the city on January 21, the matches were officially announced as “deferred” due to Ronaldo’s “health”.
At a press conference on January 23, the star apologised to his Chinese fans.
“For me, today is a sad day. I want to say sorry to the Chinese fans. In football, some things you cannot control. I love this country, I love to be here, I love to be with you guys and I want to play for you,” the superstar said.