‘GOAT Mentality’ – Cristiano Ronaldo wins fans’ hearts after asking referee to overturn wrongly awarded penalty
Ronaldo told the referee that the penalty decision is not correct and did not take it.
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Cristiano Ronaldo (via ESPNFC)
Cristiano Ronaldo is well known for being ‘deadly’ from the penalty spot. However, Monday’s match against Persepolis featured the opposite, as Cristiano Ronaldo captured hearts by turning down a ‘wrongfully’ awarded penalty. Netizens were captured by the superstar’s sportsmanship and honesty despite Al-Nassr dropping two points at home.
Al-Nassr took on Persepolis in the AFC Champions League as either side drew blanks at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium. The away side enjoyed the majority of chances in the first half as Nawaf Al-Aqidi stood firm in the line of fire. After a disappointing first half, Al-Nassr upped the ante, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot flew just wide of the post at 56 minutes. Al-Nassr hung on to salvage a point, even though an early red for Ali Al-Oujami significantly hampered the home side’s chances.
Ronaldo’s moment came in the 2nd minute of the game when the player appeared to be ‘fouled’ by a Persepolis defender. However, the #7 was quickly on his feet to dismiss the referee’s decision to award a penalty.
A quick replay confirmed that there had been no contact and that Ronaldo had shown honesty in refusing the call. VAR confirmed the same and the penalty was eventually overturned.
Fans hail Cristiano Ronaldo for his honesty
Al-Nassr drew 0-0 against Persepolis, but it was the Al-Nassr captain that stole hearts yet again. His ‘sportsmanship’ and ‘honesty’ were lauded by fans on social media. A fan said that Ronaldo is the embodiment of values and morals in the sport. Another said that the player has ‘changed’ and that nobody saw this coming. Another fan chipped in, saying that this is what makes Ronaldo the GOAT.
However, a significant amount of comments were aimed at Lionel Messi as well. The fact that Messi will never relate to this and Messi ‘robbing’ penalties in the World Cup became extensively spoken about. Some fans remained unconvinced, as one added that he would never do this in an important game or when the stakes are high. Yet another fan mocked the Portuguese, calling for authorities to award him the ‘Honesty d’Or’.
VAR has been implemented in the group stages of the AFC Championship, meaning that the penalty would have been disallowed instantly, adding a fan blatantly. However, the incident has called for discussions on social media, as fans celebrate Ronaldo’s ‘honesty’ and ‘sportsmanship’ in the game. Al-Nassr still remains top of Group E, 5 points above Persepolis, who are second.
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Sherwin Shaju
(1306 Articles Published)