You can’t keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of the news for long. The former Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United legend is a walking phenomenon, and there has always been a debate amongst football fans about his attitude towards the game.
Whilst nobody denies the sheer talent and skillset he has, some people have always labeled him as someone who “plays for himself” or someone who has a “narcissistic” or “authoritarian” attitude towards his teammates and the game. Others just see him as someone who is passionate and wants to do his utmost best to simply “win.”
But how did the comparisons with Homelander from the popular TV show “The Boys” begin, and where does his international teammate “Diogo Dalot” fit in with these comparisons? Let’s dive into that context today.
Early Comparisons to Homelander: Ronaldo’s Euro 2024
Flashback to a few months ago, Ronaldo’s Euro 2024 campaign did not have a fairy tale ending, as the 39-year-old and Portugal exited from the euros after losing to France on penalties in the quarterfinal. While Ronaldo could contribute by registering only one assist in the entire campaign, his antics on the field had created much controversy.
Throughout the campaign, Ronaldo could be seen displaying his frustrations with not being able to score a goal, missing countless chances, and taking all the free-kick opportunities while failing to score in his last 60 attempts in international tournaments.
This was particularly highlighted in the Round of 16 game vs. Slovenia, where he missed countless chances, took all the free kicks, and later on missed a penalty and had an emotional outburst. This attitude of his was compared by many to that of a petulant teenager when things don’t go his way.
Thus, this led to the early comparisons with popular TV character “Homelander” from the series “The Boys”.
Homelander, too, as seen in the series, is a similar figure who is a domineering and narcissistic individual, overpowering his needs and authority over his peers.
Anthony Starr’s Reaction
When fans stormed social media with such memes and comparisons, it caught the attention of Anthony Starr, who plays Homelander in the show.
He reacted by posting one such meme on his Instagram and saying, “I feel seen,” to which fans were amused that the meme had even reached out to him.
Later on, Starr also commented that although he enjoyed it, he did not understand much of the memes “The comparisons with Cristiano? I don’t understand what’s going on but I’m enjoying it.”
Recent Ronaldo and Dalot Meme
During the ongoing UEFA Nations League campaign, Diogo Dalot uploaded a picture on his Instagram story with his country idol. In this picture, the Portuguese right back addressed CR7 as “young” while labelling him as “old.”
One would say simply to poke fun of the fact regarding the longevity of Ronaldo and being of 39 years old whilst still performing at the highest level for his country. But fans were again quick to jump to other conclusions regarding the Portuguese No. 7 and fullback.
In continuation to the Homelander meme before, this time around, fans drew similarities between the character “The Deep” and the Manchester United full back as well.
For context, in the show “The Boys”, Deep was seen as a character who is submissive and “sucks up” to Homelander and obeys all of his ludicrous demands.
Fans were even shocked by the accuracy with which the pictures were similar to that of Homelander and The Deep. Some fans even named them “Homelando” and “The Dalot,” drawing similarities even in their names.
This was further substantiated in the UEFA Nations games, where Dalot tried to follow in his idol’s ways by mimicking even his celebrations.
This led to an online discussion where many deemed the fullback as “glazing” or “sucking up” to Ronaldo.
A similar comparison was also drawn to Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina, who has carried out similar actions in support of his Argentinian idol, Lionel Messi.
Diogo Dalot: The biggest glazer (The Deep) ever or just an honest disciple?
So, what is the truth then? Is the MUFC Fullback really someone like ‘The Deep’ or is he just someone who admires a true football phenomenon.
While Deep and Diogo may have similarities in the way they glaze and submit/mimic to their idols actions, there lies a fundamental difference here.
Deep in the show was often a timid, submissive, and scared character who did what Homelander asked to out of fear of not being able to stand up to him. Whereas, Dalot has always admired Cristiano for his work ethic and dedication to the game.
He has mentioned that it is not just down to the country that they both play for, but actually how the 39-year-old treats his body and shows professionalism and dedication each day. This is what actually inspires him to become like him.
Conclusion
Cristiano Ronaldo will always divide sides. For some he may be the symbol of professionalism and dedication and a winner, whilst for some he may be a narcissistic and self-centred individual like “Homelander” who puts himself first over the team. However, one thing is for certain: you can love him or you can hate him, but what you can definitely not do is ignore him!