CRISTIANO RONALDO FANS BOMBARD BBC SPORT'S SOCIAL MEDIA AND URGE PEOPLE TO 'REPORT' AND UNFOLLOW' THEM - AFTER THE BROADCASTER BRANDED PORTUGAL STAR 'MISSTIANO PENALDO' AFTER SPOT-KICK MISS AGAINST SLOVENIA
- Ronaldo fans have targeted BBC Sport's Instagram page with comments
- They are incensed that the broadcaster dubbed him 'Misstiano Penaldo'
- LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY: Do you love or loathe 'narcissistic main character' Cristiano Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo fans have flooded BBC Sport's Instagram page with hundreds of memes and snarling comments.
The deluge comes after the broadcaster captioned a replay of Ronaldo's penalty miss against Slovenia 'Misstiano Penaldo' on Monday night, with John Terry labelling the BBC a 'disgrace'.
They were eating their words minutes later when Ronaldo converted his attempt in the penalty-shootout as Portugal progressed to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
Ronaldo's followers have come out in force armed with digital ammunition, overrunning a BBC Sport Instagram video of Wimbledon star Ons Jabeur doing kick-ups with a slew of contemptuous comments. Similar treatment has been given to other posts.
'Everyone unfollow and report,' wrote one fan.
'Reported, what a big disrespect,' said another.
'Ronaldo is bigger than all your channels,' one boasted. Ronaldo has 633 million Instagram followers while BBC News, the corporation's most-followed account on the platform, has 27.7 million.
'Worst sport account of all time,' came the verdict of another.
'Publicly apologise,' one said.
However, some attempted to insert a voice of reason: 'There's genuinely so many real issues in the world and you absolute sooks are trying to get the British Broadcasting Corporation banned on social media for a joke? You total babies.'
Fans of Ronaldo, like those of Lionel Messi, are known for being particularly outspoken are and tribal on social media.
Others commented a series of Ronaldo-themed memes, including one of his obscene gesture during a Saudi Pro League game last season and various gifs of him deploying his trademark 'Siuuu' celebration.
On Monday night, Ronaldo was handed the opportunity to score the winning goal during extra-time but was denied by goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Moments after the miss, the Portugal captain broke down in tears, prompting teammates to comfort him.
However, the BBC sparked fury among fans and pundits after it mockingly captioned a replay of the penalty miss 'Misstiano Penaldo'.
Terry shared the caption to Instagram and slammed it as a 'disgrace', while viewers blasted the corporation for being 'unprofessional'.
While the attempt at wit appears to be a new move for the BBC, fans were left unimpressed with what they branded the 'TikTokzation of football punditry'.
MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
Ronaldo - whose watching mother was also in tears after the miss - redeemed himself by scoring a penalty in the shootout, where Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa made three saves to send his team to the quarter finals of the Euros.
The BBC's mocking caption targeting Ronaldo's performance was picked up by furious fans last night.
One wrote on social media: 'People preach about men's mental health then laugh at Cristiano Ronaldo for showing emotion in a big moment under immense pressure then the BBC mock him as Misstiano Penaldo.
'He deserves huge credit for stepping forward during the shootout and scoring.'
Another said: 'BBC Sport this absolutely shameful. You ought to be ashamed of such unprofessional behaviour'.
A third added: 'Misstiano Penaldo! You can't convice me that this isn't Twitter account trolling - not the BBC.
'The TikTokzation of football punditry is not something I ever wanted to see what happened to the game I love.'
For the record, in the BBC Sport video on which so many have commented, tennis star Jabeur managed 31 kick-ups.
Read more 2024-07-02T10:26:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd
