<\/p>\n
Cristiano Ronaldo has been slammed after being \u201cthe big flop\u201d at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as Portugal exited the competition in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo has endured a pretty difficult few months as things have been going against him on the pitch.<\/p>\n
The veteran missed much of pre-season and this left him down the pecking order at Man Utd under Erik ten Hag.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman often preferred to use Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial up front in the first few months of the season.<\/p>\n
He was right to do this as United arguably looked like a better team without Ronaldo involved as their younger players formed a more fluid and cohesive unit.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo\u2019s relationship with United over the past few months as he looked to secure himself a move away from the club.<\/p>\n
He did not get his wish in the summer but he finally departed last month as his contract was mutually terminated.<\/p>\n
This was finalised before the World Cup so Ronaldo was able to focus on performing well for Portugal in Qatar.<\/p>\n
The 37-year-old was unable to make much of a difference for Portugal though. He only managed one goal at the tournament and that came via a penalty.<\/p>\n
He even started Portugal\u2019s two knockout ties on the bench following an apparent fallout with head coach Fernando Santos.<\/p>\n
The European side exited the competition in the quarter-finals after losing 1-0 to Morocco and that will prove to be Ronaldo\u2019s last game in the finals of the competition.<\/p>\n
Now Lothar Matthaus \u2013 who won the World Cup with Germany in 1990 \u2013 has suggested that Ronaldo \u201chas permanently damaged his monument\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cCristiano Ronaldo is of course the big flop of this World Cup, the opposite of Messi. He has damaged the team and himself with his ego trip,\u201d Matthaus told Bild<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was once a great footballer, a world-class goalscorer. Now he has permanently damaged this monument. I can\u2019t imagine him finding another club. Somehow I feel sorry for Ronaldo.\u201d<\/p>\n