Cristiano Ronaldo finds himself at the center of controversy after attending a recent high-profile event in the United States.
The Portuguese star was invited to a formal dinner hosted by the US President Donald Trump to honour Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Accompanied by his long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo joined global business and tech leaders such as Elon Musk and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Ronaldo's first public visit to the US since 2016 has sparked a wave of discussions and criticism online.
What are critics saying?
After the meeting, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner took to his Instagram account to thank the US president and also shared pictures from the meeting.
Ronaldo wrote, "Thank you Mr. President for your invitation and for the warm welcome you and the First Lady gave me and my future wife. Each of us has something meaningful to give, and I stand ready to do my part as we inspire new generations to build a future defined by courage, responsibility and lasting peace."
Shortly after his post, his fans and admirer filled the comment section with disappointment.
One user wrote, "Completely disappointed," while another commented, "So disappointed on Ronaldo not a fan no more."
A third user wrote, "You made me a Messi fan."
Another fan said, "I wasn't expecting this..This is very sad," while one more expressed her frustration, "I stop following you. You were a great pride. You've become a disappointment."
Ronaldo's sister's come to his defence:
CR7's sisters, Elma and Katia Aveiro have defended their older brother.
On her Instagram story, Elma wrote, "Haven't these clowns realized yet that he doesn't give a damn about their opinions? This isn't for those who want it, it's for those who can handle it. They have nothing else to say, damn it."
Meanwhile, Katia said in a video, "All it took was work, something many critics have only heard about. Hypocrites. Such a huge hysteria has taken hold that it's frightening."
What's next for Ronaldo?
Portugal booked their place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding victory over Armenia on Sunday, November 16.
Since, Ronaldo was given straight red card in the previous week, he is likely to miss a couple of games at the start of the tournament.
