Marienfeld - Cristiano Ronaldo's decisive role in Portugal's penalty kick victory that eliminated England from the World Cup may have cost the Manchester United winger more than a few friends in England.
Already upsetting some during Portugal's run to the semi-finals by telling a Spanish newspaper he would like to join Real Madrid, his involvement in the incident that saw Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney expelled during Saturday's quarter-final may have been too much.
"I think there is every chance that Wayne Rooney could go back to the Manchester United training ground and stick one on Ronaldo," former England striker Alan Shearer told a British newspaper.
Rooney was dismissed in the 62nd minute for stomping on Ricardo Carvalho. After the nearby referee blew his whistle, Ronaldo raced to speak to the official. When Rooney shoved Ronaldo away, the referee pulled out the red card.
As Rooney made his way off the field, Ronaldo winked toward the Portuguese bench.
That invited suspicion that Ronaldo lobbied to have Rooney ejected.
"The biggest disgrace of all was Cristiano Ronaldo" because he tried to influence the referee," Tottenham manager Martin Jol wrote in London's The Sunday Times. "What about sporting values?"
Then Ronaldo converted the decisive penalty kick that gave Portugal the victory.
England fans already were riled by what they perceived to be Ronaldo's repeated diving and playacting.
Ronaldo denied any wrongdoing in the Rooney incident.
"I told the referee it was a foul. I didn't say, 'Send him off,"' he said.
Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira backed Ronaldo.
"There always has to be a scapegoat when someone loses," Ricardo said on Sunday. "I don't think (Ronaldo) influenced the referee. The referee was right on top of it."
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said he spoke to referee Horatio Elizondo after the game and had no complaints about the Argentine's explanation.
"I went to the referee to speak, and he was 100% sure it was a red card. He told me (Rooney) hit the other player and where he was hit so I can't complain about that," Eriksson said.
All of the fuss and problems with his club may not bother Ronaldo, who has been at Manchester United since 2003.
Ronaldo conceded in Germany that he is keen on moving to the Spanish capital - a city much nearer to his Portuguese home and where the food and climate is more amenable.
"Yes, they are true," he said when asked about the reports. "After the World Cup, I decide my life."
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, though, apparently has not given up on his 21-year-old prodigy.
"There isn't a problem with the boy and I don't expect any problems," Ferguson said.
AP
