Hard not to feel sorry for Ronaldo

This was supposed to have been Cristiano Ronaldo’s tournament. His heroics against Sweden had taken Portugal to the finals.

Now, world footballer of the year, fresh from winning Real Madrid that coveted 10th European crown, his great rival Lionel Messi reduced by injury to merely mortal status... the stage was set.

Ronaldo is not the easiest player to like. That silly posing for publicity shots after a far from brilliant performance in the Champions League final confirmed a widely-held opinion of an egotist forever in search of his next advertising contract.