Everton striker Neal Maupay hits back at fans after what happened to Cristiano Ronaldo
Everton striker Neal Maupay has hit back at fans for hating Cristiano Ronaldo after he burst into tears during the Portugal v Slovenia Euro 2024 game on 1 July.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star missed a penalty that eventually sent the game to a penalty shootout and could not control his emotions in extra time.
However, Maupay jumped to his defence and said that it was normal for the Al Nassr superstar to cry.
He told talkSPORT on 2 July: “There’s no shame in crying. Sometimes it annoys me, football fans want players to be normal people.
“They say ‘they are superstars, they don’t care about the world we live in’. Then when arguably the biggest player in football history cries on the pitch because he’s got emotions, everyone is on him.
“I don’t really get that. It’s normal, he missed a penalty and at the time he maybe thought we might get knocked out because of me.
“He cried, and I loved that personally, so I don’t really get the hate.”
Everton striker Neal Maupay spot on with his Cristiano Ronaldo assessment
The Toffees forward’s defence of the ex Premier League attacker is spot on and it’s good to see he can offer a lot more than taking digs at players.
Maupay recognises that Ronaldo’s emotional display is a human reaction to a high-pressure situation.
The Portuguese’s tears reflect his passion for the game and his desire to perform at his best for his team.
Maupay’s comments highlight the double standards often applied to professional athletes, who are expected to be superhuman in their abilities and composure.
The Frenchman understands the pressures and expectations that come with being a professional athlete and the toll it can take on one’s mental and emotional well-being.
By defending Ronaldo, Maupay is standing up for his fellow players and challenging the unrealistic expectations placed on them and is encouraging fans to see athletes as human beings with feelings, rather than emotionless machines.
In other Everton news, the club have been handed a green signal to sign an award-winning player with his agent confirming an exit is on the cards.
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