Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Tore Into ‘Two Rats’ After Euro 2024 Criticism
Two years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo fired back at criticism regarding his performances at Euro 2024 and his emotional reaction to missing a penalty against Slovenia during the tournament. The then-39-year-old was seeking to become the first player to ever score in six European Championships and was given the golden opportunity to do so and give his side the lead during the Round of 16 clash.
Instead, the Portuguese icon was denied by a flying stop from Jan Oblak, and when the whistle blew for half-time of extra time, Ronaldo could be seen, tearful, being consoled by his teammates. However, while talking on his record-breaking YouTube channel, the former Real Madrid star hit back at the reaction to the incident – seemingly calling out two well-known English pundits.
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Ronaldo Appeared to Target Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer
Speaking during a conversation with former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo revealed his true feelings about the backlash he received from pundits following his penalty miss. He was quoted in The Express, who seem to think he was taking a dig at the BBC’s Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer when saying:
“They don’t know nothing. It’s much easier to criticise than to appreciate what you really have. We know how the press works, if you speak [positively] nothing sells, you have to speak [negatively]. It’s normal. And if you speak about Cristiano, it’s coming on the first page because I’m the most followed guy in the world.
“What am I going to do? Am I going to cry and then finish my career because two rats criticised me? The world loves me! The fans love me! This is my motivation. Nobody is going to take my shine away because two guys from television that nobody knows have criticised me.”
It was believed that the ex-Real Madrid icon was making reference to comments that Lineker and Shearer made in an episode of ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast titled ‘The Ronaldo Show.’ Former World Cup Golden Boot winner Lineker described Ronaldo’s antics as childish, while his co-host labelled the reaction as ‘hysterical.’
Ronaldo Explained Why He Cried After Euro 2024 Penalty Miss
Elaborating further on his emotional miss from 12 yards, Ronaldo explained what caused him to have such a visceral reaction:
“When you have passion for what you are doing, you can’t be worried about how you’re feeling. For example, I cried the day I missed the penalty… when I cried, it’s not because I felt that if I don’t score Portugal will be eliminated, and the world will collapse on me. It’s not because of that.
“People, they don’t know me. Imagine that the last 27 penalties, you score. Then you miss, and in that period, you feel bad for yourself. The people who come to the stadium, your kids, your mum, your girlfriend, everyone. I feel sad because of that.”
Regardless of the criticism, Ronaldo has continued with his international career and will lead the line for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. This will be his sixth time attending the FIFA tournament with his nation, and will probably be his final chance of winning it.
All stats courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 12/06/2026
Sports
Liverpool Boosted as PSG Perform Bradley Barcola Transfer U-Turn
Liverpool have received a huge transfer boost after Paris Saint-Germain performed a U-turn on the future of Bradley Barcola, according to L’Equipe.
Liverpool are determined to freshen up their frontline for new manager Andoni Iraola ahead of next season, following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
Mohamed Salah is already confirmed to be leaving, and leaves big boots to fill given the goal contribution numbers he has put up during his time with the Reds, while Hugo Ekitike remains a long-term injury absentee.
Doubts have also been raised over the futures of Cody Gakpo, who is said to be open to leaving following the dismissal of Arne Slot, and Rio Ngumoha, who is attracting interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Should either of those players join Salah through the Anfield exit door, then Iraola would be very short of depth and quality in his attack, and new faces are needed.
Liverpool are already pushing to secure their Salah replacement in RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande, with confidence from club chiefs that the 19-year-old wants the switch to Merseyside after positive talks, despite ongoing interest from PSG.
The difficulty for the Reds will be agreeing a deal with Leipzig, who are said to be demanding in excess of £100m for the teenager.
PSG Considering Barcola Sale as Contract Talks Stall
According to L’Equipe, PSG have been working for months to tie Barcola down to a new contract, after the France international was once again a key part of their Ligue 1 and Champions League double-winning season.
The 23-year-old, who separate reports claim is valued at £112m, is not guaranteed to remain at the Parc des Princes after discussions over a new deal stalled, with the article title suggesting that Ousmane Dembele will be kept on and Barcola won’t stay.
L’Equipe report that while PSG chiefs understand the frustrations of the winger, the fact that they are currently unable to reach a breakthrough in talks means that they are now not entirely opposed to a sale.
The news will come as a boost for Premier League clubs like Liverpool, who have been heavily linked with Barcola for a year now, coming close to agreeing a deal to sign him last summer.
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Barcola ‘Very High’ on Liverpool Transfer Shortlist
While Liverpool appear to have made Diomande their number one target in recent weeks, the Reds still need to find an agreement on a fee with Leipzig for their star man.
GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs says that Barcola is also ‘very high’ on the club’s transfer shortlist, although it seems unlikely they’d be able to sanction two big-money deals.
However, if Liverpool continue to hit impasses with regard to Diomande, then it can’t be ruled out that they could pivot to Barcola, although it remains unclear the exact figure PSG would demand for his services.
Jacobs confirmed that Liverpool also had a third winger target coming into the summer, but it has been made clear that Bayern Munich have no intention of selling Michael Olise to any suitors anytime soon.
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Tottenham Want Maxi Araujo After Savinho And Van Hecke
The summer transfer window isn’t even officially open yet, but Tottenham have not wasted any time in trying to land a few key players for the squad rebuild.
Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi are already through the door for Spurs, while progress is being made over deals to sign Savinho and Jan Paul van Hecke.
Some exits may need to follow to help balance out the remainder of the squad, but that still doesn’t seem set to stop Tottenham from giving Roberto De Zerbi the tools to progress in the right direction for next season.
Even with so many defenders at his disposal, another versatile option could be on their way to North London this summer, as interest ramps up over one star heading to the World Cup.
Maxi Araujo Linked With Tottenham
According to reports from Portuguese outlet Record, via Sport Witness, Tottenham are showing a keen interest in Sporting CP star Maxi Araujo.
The 26-year-old is a versatile option, capable of playing at both left-back and left-wing for the Portuguese outfit, providing a handful of goals and assists along the way.
It’s claimed that Spurs are joined by Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to land Araujo, while La Liga side Atletico Madrid have also been monitoring a potential deal.
Any move is unlikely to come cheap, as Sporting CP are wanting close to the defender’s £69 million release clause to allow for any talks of an exit.
It’s stated that the club are willing to prepare improved terms on his contract, which currently runs until 2029, but it may take some time to get to those possible discussions.
Sporting are only likely to assess Araujo’s position after the World Cup, where he is set to feature for Uruguay in group games against Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde.
Beyond that point, Tottenham and their rivals may get a clearer picture of the availability of the 26-year-old this summer.
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Tottenham’s Left-Back Balance
A move for Araujo may seem slightly unlikely at Tottenham, mainly due to the depth they already have in his primary left-back position.
Robertson’s arrival strengthens that position, which is backed up by Destiny Udogie when he is available, Ben Davies following his contract extension, and Djed Spence when switching to that side.
Throw January signing Souza into the mix, and that makes for five players already taking up that one position, albeit with some versatility in there.
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That may need addressing in the window, even before considering further signings, as Souza seems the most likely candidate to leave on loan.
It remains to be seen what De Zerbi will do with the strength in depth, considering the lack of European football for next season, but there may be an opportunity to mix and match his teams more.
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Aston Villa Eye Move To Sign Goalkeeper Who Stunned Real Madrid
Aston Villa are monitoring Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin as they assess options to strengthen their goalkeeping department this summer, sources have indicated.
According to reports, Villa have tracked the Ukrainian international in recent weeks and could move for a new goalkeeper during the current window, depending on how their current options develop.
Unai Emery currently has three senior goalkeepers on the books in Emiliano Martinez, Joe Gauci, and Marco Bizot, but uncertainty continues to linger around the long-term future of his No.1.
Emiliano Martinez Could Finally Depart Aston Villa
Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina, famously waved goodbye to the Villa Park faithful after the final home game of the 2024/25 season against Tottenham Hotspur, before a proposed switch to Manchester United collapsed later in the summer. The 33-year-old remained at Villa Park but was subsequently stripped of the vice-captaincy by Emery, although he still played a key role throughout the campaign, making 44 appearances and keeping 14 clean sheets across all competitions.
He also produced a standout performance in Europe, including a clean sheet in Villa’s Europa League final win over Freiburg as Emery’s side secured a 3-0 victory.
Despite speculation surrounding his future, Emery publicly praised the Argentine’s commitment last season, saying: “I understand it completely, everything. Staying here is good news – I am so, so happy. He is the best goalkeeper in the world and his commitment to Aston Villa is massive.”
Back-up goalkeeper Bizot also contributed when called upon, recording five clean sheets in 14 appearances, offering reliable cover across domestic and European fixtures.
However, uncertainty over Martinez’s long-term future has once again emerged, with Villa now understood to be assessing potential replacements should the Argentine depart after the World Cup.
Aston Villa target Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin
One of those under consideration is Trubin, who has impressed at Benfica since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for a reported €11million.
The Ukrainian international was a standout performer for Jose Mourinho’s side, keeping 21 clean sheets in 50 appearances as Benfica went unbeaten in the Primeira Liga, although they ultimately finished third, eight points behind champions Porto after a campaign defined by 11 draws.
Trubin also gained attention in Europe last season, famously scoring a last-minute goal against Real Madrid in the Champions League’s league phase to secure Benfica’s progression. However, with Mourinho now back at Madrid, an exodus is expected from Benfica as several key players are rumoured to depart.
Villa are expected to be active in the market and Trubin, whom Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Dariojo Srna once described as “one of the best in Europe” remains one of several names under consideration as Emery prepares for another important window in the Midlands as they prepare for their return to the Champions League.
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