Gerrard dubs Ronaldo a 'disgrace'
Steven Gerrard has branded Manchester United winger Cristiano
Ronaldo "a disgrace" for his part in Wayne Rooney's sending-off at
the World Cup.
Gerrard was furious when Ronaldo got involved after Rooney appeared
to stamp on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho.
"Sadly a dark side stains Cristiano Ronaldo's game," writes Gerrard
in his autobiography, which is being serialised in the News of the
World.
"His part in Wayne Rooney's dismissal was a disgrace."
The Liverpool midfielder, who was appointed vice-captain of England
this week, expressed particular dissatisfaction with the wink that
Ronaldo appeared to give to his team-mates on the bench after
Rooney had been dismissed.
"What really [got to] all the England players was Ronaldo's wink to
his bench. It was a wink which said 'job done'. How could he do
that to his Manchester United team-mate?
"On the bus after the game Wayne asked me: 'What do you think about
the wink?'
"I said: 'Honestly, Wazza, if we were playing Spain and [Liverpool
team-mates] Xabi Alonso or Luis Garcia winked at the referee or
gave a signal for me to be sent off, I'd never speak to them
again.'"
When Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo halted play and then
brandished a red card, Gerrard initially thought it was for a
Portuguese player.
"Players like Carvalho are damaging football, not Wayne Rooney,"
writes Gerrard.
"It's coached into them that when an incident like that happens,
they go to work on the ref.
"Ronaldo was at the front. But the blame does not just rest with
him. Five or six Portuguese players were at it."
Gerrard also believes England's players' cockiness in the World Cup
cost them dearly.
"We are not as good as we think we are. England were guilty of
over-confidence. Me and the other players constantly claimed we
could win the World Cup - it was stupid."
