The Portugal captain has been under constant scrutiny for the past month.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy won’t be damaged despite his World Cup struggles and recent behavior, according to former Premier League star Gabby Agbonlahor.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner lost favor under Portugal manager Fernando Santos at the World Cup, starting from the bench in each of the team’s two knockout games prior to their quarter-final exit.
On top of that, Ronaldo has had to deal with regular criticism for his behavior on and off the pitch, especially after his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, which led to his exit from Manchester United last month.
“I don’t think so, no,” Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT when asked if recent weeks have harmed Ronaldo’s reputation.
“I think people will be disappointed with Ronaldo for Manchester United and Portugal, but what he’s done in the game, it shouldn’t tarnish it.
“I think he’s still got something to give. He’s training at Real Madrid at the moment, [and] he’s got the offer from Saudi Arabia. I think people are quick to try and put Ronaldo down and people forget what he’s done in the game.
“Everyone is talking about, ‘Who’s the GOAT?’, does it matter? Ronaldo is one of the greatest players to ever play the game.”
As Agbonlahor mentioned, Ronaldo is using Real Madrid’s training facilities to maintain his fitness while he searches for a new club. The ex-Juventus striker has already denied accepting a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.