Portuguese Eurovision winner Salvador Sobral has triggered a massive media reaction following severe criticisms aimed at football star Cristiano Ronaldo on Spanish television.
Portuguese singer Salvador Sobral, who won Eurovision 2017 representing Portugal with the song “Amar pelos dois” (in English: “Loving for Both of Us”), appeared on the Spanish television show “La Revuelta” to promote his new album “A Flor do Recomeço” (in English: “The Flower of the New Beginning”). The interview with the singer quickly shifted from music to a discussion about the Portuguese national football team. Sobral launched a harsh critique against the team’s superstar and one of the world’s most famous athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo. Sobral’s remarks ignited a media storm in Portugal, alongside furious reactions from Ronaldo’s family and fans.
“He Has Demigod Syndrome” – Salvador Sobral Goes On The Attack
The interview topic, which was not originally focused on football, grew heated when Salvador Sobral chose to address the controversy in which Ronaldo left the Portuguese national team training camp following tensions with manager Jorge Jesus after the player was benched in a recent match. Sobral argued that the football player cannot handle the fact that the manager determines who plays, not him, explaining his claim that Ronaldo suffers from “Demigod syndrome.”
The singer quoted a sentence from an article written in the British newspaper “The Independent” during the 2026 World Cup, calling the Portuguese national team “ten men and a statue,” a sharp criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance on the pitch during the tournament.
Salvador Sobral did not hold back against Cristiano Ronaldo’s fans either. Sobral criticized them for blaming the manager instead of the player, claiming that fans remain focused on the footballer’s past achievements without evaluating his present reality:
“We need to separate everything he [Ronaldo] has done from the fact that now he no longer knows how to play, nor can he play.”
Sobral’s statements were met with uproar across Portugal. Portuguese and Spanish media widely echoed the singer’s harsh words against the star athlete, and backlash followed quickly. On social media, many fans of Ronaldo expressed anger at Sobral’s comments. Fan responses argued, among other things, that the singer showed disrespect toward Ronaldo and failed to appreciate the achievements, trophies, and honor Ronaldo brought to the Portuguese national team and the nation as a whole.
Ronaldo’s sister-in-law, Ivana Rodríguez, reacted to the fallout on her private Instagram account with strong words. Rodríguez wrote that she had never heard of Sobral prior to this, accusing him of exploiting the situation with Ronaldo for “five minutes of fame.” Rodríguez added that had Sobral spoken more respectfully, his words would have generated far less noise across the internet:
“Cheer up a bit, because you know this is the only thing that will be heard from you in this interview. I don’t doubt that you are a wonderful singer, but this is the first time in my life I’ve ever seen you, and that is thanks to you speaking about a painful moment for Cristiano, for the Portuguese people, and for the world. Your five minutes of fame, your most viral moment. If you had spoken nicely and with respect, perhaps you would have stood out less.”
Portugal at Eurovision 2026
“Rosa” (in English: “Rose”) is the song that was performed by the band Bandidos Do Cante, which represented Portugal in the first semi-final on May 12th, in Vienna, Austria. Portugal has failed to qualify to the final, finishing 12th place.
Eurovision 2027: This will be Portugal’s 58th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Portugal joined the competition in 1964 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2017 when singer Salvador Sobral won first place with the song “Amar pelos dois”.
