Cristiano Ronaldo’s former teammate, Jose Fonte, has stirred controversy with his latest comments about the Portugal icon.
Portugal rose to the top of European football in 2016 after beating France in extra time to win the Euros.
The then-Real Madrid striker was forced to watch most of the match from the bench after sustaining an injury in the early stages of the contest.
What Ronaldo did during the Euro 2016 finalÂ
Known for his competitive nature, Ronaldo couldn’t keep calm when the game went into extra time. He joined manager Fernando Santos on the touchline as he animatedly barked instructions to his teammates.
An Eder strike in the 109th minute was enough to separate the two sides to help Ronaldo win his first major silverware for Portugal.
His actions on the touchline have often been credited with inspiring his teammates to victory – something Fonte has now denied.
The veteran defender, who currently plies his professional trade with Braga, lasted the entire 120 minutes of the final. Speaking on the Legends Lounge, Fonte revealed that they did not take cognizance of whatever Ronaldo was saying and doing on the touching.
The 40-year-old also admitted that they only learnt of their captain’s antics by rewatching match footage after they had won the game.
“Listen, we were focused on trying to win the game. Only after [the match] when we watched the images, that’s when we realised what was happening with him and the coach.”
