Why the Internet Is Comparing Cristiano Ronaldo to Homelander
Penalty charge notice.
Real-world football isn’t our usual beat for news coverage here on IGN, but after Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance in Portugal’s penalties victory over Slovenia at Euro 2024 last night, we have that rare and magical occurrence of soccer culture bleeding into the world of pop culture — and of course the internet is at the heart of it.
But first a quick recap. 39-year-old Ronaldo, considered one of the greatest to ever play football, starred up front for Portugal during last night’s crucial round of 16 knockout match against Slovenia, and it was very much the Ronaldo show, as it so often is.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has yet to score in the tournament, and based on last night’s performance you can see why. Ronaldo missed a number of chances, including a penalty in the 105th minute that left the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward in tears. But it was his continued failed attempts to score free kicks in the game that caused the internet to compare Ronaldo to supervillain Homelander from The Boys.
Cristiano Ronaldo saw the funny side ?#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #PORSVN pic.twitter.com/aKGYQP1GLM— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 1, 2024
Ronaldo took three free kicks in the match and failed to score any of them. One in particular, from a tough angle that was crying out for a cross rather than a shot when Portugal desperately needed a goal, sailed high and wide, sparking mocking jeers from the Slovenia fans. Ronaldo has now taken 60 free kicks at major international tournaments, scoring only one.
It was Ronaldo’s insistence that he take every free kick within what he considered to be shooting distance that sparked the Homelander comparisons. Homelander, let’s remember, is a demented despot who rules The Seven with an iron fist. The other supes on the team live in fear of Homelander, whose overpowered abilities give him carte blanche to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants — and no-one is brave enough to stand up to him.
Ronaldo justifying that freekick in the dressing room pic.twitter.com/j7G5XkuKIz— Tobes (@TikiTokaMate) July 1, 2024
Anyone who watched the Portugal game last night could see that there is no debate over who takes free kicks in the team, despite Ronaldo’s continued errant efforts. Other Portugal players who are perfectly capable of scoring free kicks, such as Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes, are not even part of the conversation. This is the Ronaldo show, after all.
Ronaldo when Bruno says “I should be taking them” pic.twitter.com/EfmfFzsa01 https://t.co/OWoR1zEiVB— Killua ???? (@OBolarin11) July 1, 2024
Portugal eventually squeezed through to the next round by defeating Slovenia on pentalties, with Ronaldo making amends somewhat by scoring in the shootout. But is was the heroics of Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who remarkably kept three penalties out, that saved Ronaldo's blushes.
Ronaldo seeing Diogo Costa saving every pen pic.twitter.com/ghRJBMRH6o— Tobes (@TikiTokaMate) July 1, 2024
And so, when Portugal go up against France in the quarter-finals on July 5, Ronaldo will no doubt be in Homelander mode once again, taking all the free kicks and penalties without a word of dissent from his teammates. He will hope that next time, he finally scores one.
Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
