Former German player Mesut Özil has lashed out at media coverage about Cristiano Ronaldo and has demanded ‘more respect’ for the Portuguese legend.
Since leaving Manchester United, Ronaldo has been in spotlight almost constantly.
Özil has posted a series of tweets where he has not only defended Ronaldo, but also claimed that pundits criticise his former Real Madrid team-mate just to get “attention.”
“I really don’t get where this constant negativity from the press about Cristiano comes from,” Özil wrote.
“The media is just trying to get clicks, and pundits who don’t have a career anymore just want to get attention with his big name and try to make him look bad. He is soon 38 years old – so what’s the surprise that he doesn’t score 50 goals a season anymore? Every football fan out there should be happy to have seen him playing world class football for 20 years.”
“I don’t think anyone from the new generation will be able to match his numbers again. He will forever be in his own category. Everyone should show more respect to one of the greatest athletes in sports history,” he added.
Özil had spent three years alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
