Biggest Ronaldo Hater trends after dismissive World Cup reaction

Football fans on social media poked fun at Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the former Sweden international downplayed Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace in Portugal’s 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup tie in Houston on June 23.

The Performance: Ronaldo Answers Critics With Brace

The 41-year-old hitman answered his critics by netting twice in the first half during Portugal’s comprehensive 5-0 group stage victory over Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium. The double took Ronaldo to six different World Cup tournaments where he’s scored, and made him Portugal’s highest ever scorer in World Cups with 10 goals, ahead of Eusebio.

After a muted 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo – in which he failed to register a shot on target – the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s emotions got the better of him and he shouted, “I’m back” into the television cameras after the game. He later reflected on it as a “difficult, dark week”, adding it “felt like I was already retired from football”.

Zlatan’s Response: “I Thought He Never Left”

During his time working as a pundit on Fox Sports, Ibrahimovic was asked to give his opinion on Ronaldo’s two goals and “I’m back” remark and gave:

“It was a game to score. It was a game for Portugal to score a lot of goals. And his message? I thought he never left. I don’t know why he says ‘I’m back’.”

Fan Backlash: “Biggest Ronaldo Hater” Trends

Fans of Ronaldo have swiftly branded the Swede’s comments as a snub and many blasted his apparent negativity online. They wrote:

“Look at bro trying to downplay Ronaldo”

“Zlatan ate so many words he choked mid sentence”

“This guy is the biggest Ronaldo hater”

“He is literally holding back his tears”

“Proof that your enemies still watch”

Many people felt Ibrahimovic was demeaning an historic achievement, especially following the “Messi, Messi” chants which were directed at the talisman following the stalemate with DR Congo.

Context: Criticism After World Cup Opener

Ronaldo has come under significant criticism following the opening match with DR Congo on the back of his performance. He was restricted to just 25 touches and managed no shots on target, whilst international rivals such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland scored braces for their nations. Fans wrote: “Over to u ronaldo. You have 24 hours to respond”.

However Michael Owen backed Ronaldo pre-match and stated: “I wouldn’t be surprised if he responds with a hat-trick of his own against Uzbekistan”.

What Happened Next

The two goals against Uzbekistan came in the sixth and 39th minutes for Ronaldo as he got on the end of Joao Cancelo’s cross for a near-post effort, before finishing clinically from Bruno Fernandes’ assist. Nuno Mendes, a own goal, and Rafael Leão rounded off the rout. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez lauded him in the press conference: “He is an icon and a role model… Not just the scoring – the passes, the chances created”.