Piers Morgan claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo aimed a cutting jibe at Simon Jordan after the two broadcasters were involved in a media squabble over the Portugal star which saw Jordan describe the Football Uncensored host of engaging in ‘sycophantic buttock-kissing’.
Arsenal fan Morgan has placed himself at the centre of roiling debate over Ronaldo’s shock departure from the Portugal camp and subsequent 1,996-word statement explaining his point of view.
Ronaldo’s distress stems from what he sees as ‘broken promises’ from manager Jorge Jesus, who opted to leave him on the bench during the second Nations League tie of the international break.
Morgan has staunchly defended Ronaldo’s position and clashed with Jordan on talkSPORT on Wednesday morning after accusing him – like Jesus – of not showing the 41-year-old sufficient respect for his status in the game.
That evening on his own Football Uncensored show, Morgan shared with guest Jason Cundy that he had sent on the clip of the spat to Ronaldo himself.
‘Cristiano texted back: ‘That blonde guy – tell him to stop with the Botox. He looks like an apple’,’ Morgan read aloud, much to Cundy’s amusement.
Piers Morgan shared with his Football Uncensored audience that Cristiano Ronaldo had compared Simon Jordan to an ‘apple’
The broadcasting duo had earlier clashed on talkSPORT over Ronaldo’s Portugal departure
Ronaldo and Morgan are good friends, with the latter hosting the former for a bombshell interview in 2022
‘Live breaking news from Cristiano Ronaldo,’ he added. ‘You are an apple.
‘You suspiciously smooth blonde-faced apple.’
When fellow studio guest Richard Keys chimed in that Jordan also likely had little interest in being referred to as ‘that blonde guy’, 61-year-old Morgan cracked that 59-year-old Jordan ‘was last naturally blonde about 20 years ago’.
Jordan had revved up Morgan by saying that he was referring to his 2022 interview with Ronaldo – which sparked his explosive move from Manchester United – as being ‘a sycophantic, buttock-kissing, eyeball-glazing love affair’.
He then put Ronaldo’s own behaviour in the clash with Jesus under the microscope, asking Morgan: ‘In your objective, rounded mind, is there a possibility that the common denominator of fallouts might be some of Ronaldo’s behaviour?
‘Is there a possibility in your balanced, unsure, kissing Ronaldo’s backside mentality?’
When Morgan continued to disagree, Jordan added: ‘In your wide experiences of managing players and understanding the dynamics behind the scenes, you can’t even see beyond the end of your nose that there might be a common denominator when problems occur. That might be Ronaldo’s behaviour.’
Jordan then called Morgan a ‘wally’ after the former Daily Mirror editor accused him of not having the necessary experience to comment having never had a successful football career himself.
Morgan then explained that he supported Ronaldo’s decision to leave and his statement out of ‘pride’.
‘I’m proud of him because he stood up for himself,’ Morgan stressed. ‘I think in life you have to stand up for yourself not only when you’re disrespected, but when your boss lies to you.
‘He’s obviously reaching the end of his career, he’s aware of his legacy and he wants to go out properly. The one thing in all the years I’ve known him is, you’ve got to be a straight dealer with him and you’ve got to respect him.’
Ronaldo expanded upon earlier hints that he had felt betrayed by his national team manager in his extraordinary social media statement, which claimed that the Portuguese FA had persuaded him not to retire after the World Cup.
Ronaldo went on to allege that he had spoken in glowing terms about Jesus’ candidacy to take over from Roberto Martinez after the duo worked together at Al-Nassr.
But the relationship may have broken beyond repair when Jesus said that Ronaldo would play 30 minutes against Norway – only for him to be left on the bench for the duration – marking the first time in 18 years that Ronaldo had not played a minute for his country when fit.
After Jesus discussed the issue in his press conference, Ronaldo alleged that Jesus had broken his word to agree to terms set out by the player’s camp – an eight-point list which he shared with his followers.
These included acknowledging that Ronaldo was ‘exemplary, loyal and professional’ in the face of playing reduced minutes and seeing his refusal to stay in the stadium and thank the fans after storming down the tunnel as ‘a moment of frustration that erases nothing’.
But more eye-catching was Ronaldo’s notes written for Jesus that stated that the manager should acknowledge that he ‘made a mistake by putting someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona on to warm up and then not putting him in the game.
‘If it were today I would not do it,’ the statement ended, before he called upon Jesus to state: ‘I want Cristiano in the National Team. In fact I do not want him a little, I want him a lot. Fortunately he also believes in me. He believed at Al-Nassr and he does here as well.’
This particular excerpt of Ronaldo’s shock explanation caught heat on social media, with some questioning the player’s ‘god complex’.
But those keen to defend Ronaldo stressed that the player had merely signed off on the document, rather than writing it personally.
Discussing the list’s provenance, Ronaldo wrote: ‘Forty-eight hours (after the Norway match) we had a conversation – myself, the coach and (Al-Nassr sporting director) Simao Coutinho – since he had been the one accompanying our conversations in August. It was a deep moment, very frank, without any kind of filter.
‘We agreed that there was only one way to close this ‘case’: that the coach repeat what he had just told me in private, in the presence of Simao Coutinho, but in the press room.
‘A short document was produced which I myself validated and which, with my knowledge, was delivered to the coach, as he had requested.’
However, Ronaldo found Jesus’ actual press conference to be wanting, stating that his ‘posture had nothing to do with our meeting’.
‘I heard expressions and an aggressiveness that I do not believe I deserved, an attitude of ‘I want, I can and I command’ that he never showed me, not even remotely, in private the day before,’ Ronaldo claimed in his statement.
‘Broken promises’ from Portugal boss Jorge Jesus forced Ronaldo to leave the camp, the Al-Nassr star has claimed
Ronaldo remains hell-bent on continuing his international career with Portugal, with the veteran even asking for his federation to punish him for his departure like any other player might receive.
But he does, like his Argentine contemporary Lionel Messi, want a proper send-off when the time does come for him to hang up his boots for his country.
‘On this subject, I have heard a great deal of talk about farewell matches, that I must have a dignified farewell and that the Federation wants to give me that opportunity,’ he continued.
‘I learned in life, often hungry and with nothing to eat, that no one gives anything to anyone.
‘I can promise all my fans, naturally and especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches; there will be time for that.’
