Cristiano Ronaldo is supposed to be an ambassador for a modern and international Saudi Arabia and is not paid a reported annual salary of around £180m to produce articles that include words such as “crotch” or “genitals”.
Yet it is remarkable how easy it seems to be to annoy this five-time Ballon D’Or winner. All you have to do is chant “Messi, Messi”. Incredibly for a player who has played for the biggest clubs in the biggest games and won almost everything, it looks as if it gets under his skin. Ronaldo’s will to win, desire for the highest standards and work rate has been exemplary in Saudi Arabia so far and he is top scorer of the league and joint top in terms of assists. The competitive streak is deep but seems to be so wide that it is sensitive to suggestions that his main competitor exists.
