Featured Image Credit: Getty & Transfermarkt
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United
Josh Lawless
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo blocked popular stats website Transfermarkt after they gave him a downgrade.
The German website specialises in providing comprehensive information on clubs and players all across the world and is seen as one of the most respected sources in the game.
They have a market value system where players go up and down depending on their performances on the pitch for club and country.
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Age is a factor for their algorithm but a few years ago, Ronaldo was not happy with his value and he let Transfermarkt know about it.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had hit 21 goals in 21 Serie A games at the time and was given a valuation of £67.5 million - a drop from the £88 million Juventus paid to sign him from Real Madrid in 2018.
He was 37th in the world and extremely unhappy with his position, so much so that he went ahead and blocked them.
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Transfermarkt's UK manager, Daniel Busch, explained the situation to The Athletic and just how petty Ronaldo had been.
Busch said: "I think we put a list (on Instagram) with 10 players, 33 and older, and he (Ronaldo) was still in first place, but he said he must be worth much more.
"He sent a message first to our social media guys. They answered him, explained why, and told him, ‘The people in your own age group, you are by far the number one’.
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"I think it was £30-50 million difference (between Ronaldo and the next player on the list), and then he sent some smilies, and then he blocked us."
Ronaldo isn't the only one to have an issue with Transfermarkt, as Turkish side Fenerbahce once filed a lawsuit after accusing the site of "negatively manipulating" the values of their players.
Ronaldo's current market value is at €15 million - a far cry from his highest of €120 million in 2014.