Cristiano Ronaldo was branded "arrogant" by Chinese fans and media after he responded curtly to questions at a press conference during Real Madrid’s pre-season tour of Asia.
La Liga - Chinese slate Ronaldo
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Real are looking to tap into a potential 1.3 billion fans in China, but Ronaldo’s moody performance will not have helped their efforts.
The former Manchester United winger, who despite his flamboyant appearance is notoriously evasive about his personal life, was taking questions at a pre-match press conference in Guangzhou.
When asked about the condition of team-mate Kaka, he simply said "perfecto", while he replied to a question about what he thought of the city by saying "it’s very hot".
His frustration appeared to boil over when asked about whether he changed the nappies of his young son, answering "of course, as a father it is normal to change the baby's nappies".
Ronaldo also appeared bemused when quizzed about China’s table tennis team and if he knew any of the players.
"He always seems selfish and arrogant," said Yan Qiang, vice-president of Titan Media, told AFP. "His behaviour won't help his cause in China, nor will it help that of (sponsor) Nike.
"The questions he was asked didn't have much to do with football. Chinese fans are different from European fans. Chinese are more into the personal lives of their icons."
It is not the first time a European sports star has been in hot water for his antics at a press conference - in 2008 British snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan sparked outrage with a foul-mouthed, sexually explicit performance when he thought the microphones were off.
Despite heavy restrictions from the authoritarian government, China has the world’s largest internet population of just under half a billion, and they pulled no punches in their criticism of the Portugal winger.
"I don't know whether Ronaldo can be the World Footballer of the Year, but I am just sure he will be condemned for what he did at the news conference," one Netease user said.
"Ronaldo is really good at football, and good-looking, but he is really not that modest," another said. "He should hire a public relations company to teach him how to cope with the media."
One mimicked Ronaldo’s directness in its criticism, saying: "Look at you! C. Ronaldo, just go home!"
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