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Cristiano Ronaldo is under fire from fans after he chose Kylian Mbappe over Karim Benzema during a recent light-hearted comparison with Rio Ferdinand.
The Portuguese football icon, who recently celebrated reaching 900 career goals, selected Mbappe, a player he has praised as a protégé, over Benzema, his long-time Real Madrid teammate.
This choice has angered many supporters who expected Ronaldo to honour his past partnership with Benzema, with some even labelling him a 'traitor.'
Fans are disappointed by Ronaldo's decision, given the nine-year partnership between the two players at Real Madrid.
During this period, Benzema played a crucial role, often sacrificing his own scoring opportunities to support Ronaldo and help form the dynamic "BBC" trio with Gareth Bale.
Benzema's contribution, including 47 assists for Ronaldo, is seen as pivotal to the latter's success, making the choice to favour Mbappe over Benzema particularly controversial.
Social media reactions have been swift, with many expressing their displeasure. One user, lamented, "Nooo, Ronaldo didn’t choose wisely."
Another fan branded the choice a "Betrayal," while one questioned Ronaldo’s football knowledge, stating, "He’s the GOAT, but that’s some horrendous ball knowledge."
The Messi connection was also noted by one fan who tweeted, "Bro’s fuming Benzema chose Messi over him."
In related news, Ronaldo has also faced criticism for equating winning the Euros with winning the FIFA World Cup, a claim he made after reaching his 900th career goal.
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