Why has Ronaldo's narcissistic nature been brushed over for a decade?

[NotoriousISSY]

When you're quite literally scoring a hat trick bi-weekly, I think it's conceivable that undesirable personality traits are brushed under the carpet and football does the talking.

Once the good football stuff dries up, all you can see is the drama, narcissism and selfishness with literally nothing go to mask it anymore.

Not much else to say really?

 

[Stacks]

I'm curious. Do people think it'd be difficult to be humble if you were in his position? He's a dick, yes. But imagine being in his shoes. What sort of person would you be?

Roger Federer, Serena, Messi, Nadal, Usyk, Salah, Kaka or something

 

[Chief123]

Ignored in what way? It was talked about plenty. His moaning when his team scored instead of him, standing on his heels in photos, his constant self-adoration really. A quick search of "ronaldo narcissist" here on the caf gives 23 pages of hits.

What besides talking about it every so often do you imagine constitutes not "brushing it aside"?

It was never a big story. Hence, brushed aside.

His hat-tricks took the headlines.

 

[B20]

It was never a big story. Hence, brushed aside.

I don't know what to tell you. You must have been squinting real hard to miss it all these years.

 

[Iker Quesadillas]

I don't think it's been ignored. But his narcissistic nature is not the issue; it's his narcissistic actions. Those have gotten worse over the last few years.

 

[Chief123]

I don't know what to tell you. You must have been squinting real hard to miss it all these years.

You’re missing the point.

 

[Skills]

federer? Really… I haven’t ever noticed that from him. Bolt definitely has narcissistic tendencies.

I don't think Bolts a narcissist. He's playfully arrogant/cocky. He's playing up to it most of the time.

And it works because there's no actual arguement against him being the greatest of all time. He's literally the fastest sprinter on record and it isn't even close.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Let’s just say if this traits is taken away from him, he might not have the same drive to score 800+ goals and keep getting nominated/win multiple Ballon D’ors over past 18 years.

And imagine if he was a humble/boring person instead, he might not have the same popularity and marketing pull in social media of 490m+ followers.

Thing is he seems to have a problem switching off from being Cristiano Ronaldo the footballer. He is obsessive about being him, not wanting Messi to catch his CL record, being ungracious when somebody else wins something he perceives should be his. Yes it has given him those followers, but will those followers be there after football. It is what he does next in his life that will be interesting. Cannot see him being a manager, in fact I think he will be a terrible manager. So media work? What exactly will he do. Become a David Beckham who has a far better grip on reality than Ronaldo and is a more likeable character.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It was never a big story. Hence, brushed aside.

His hat-tricks took the headlines.

Why would it be a big story? Top sportsman in being selfishly obsessed with his legacy shocker. I mean, it’s not exactly newsworthy?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I don't think Bolts a narcissist. He's playfully arrogant/cocky. He's playing up to it most of the time.

And it works because there's no actual arguement against him being the greatest of all time. He's literally the fastest sprinter on record and it isn't even close.

Think people have a problem about what is narcissism and what is just as you said cockiness.

 

[KirkDuyt]

It was always plain to see for everyone bar the fans of the clubs he played for.

 

[Chief123]

Why would it be a big story? Top sportsman in being selfishly obsessed with his legacy shocker. I mean, it’s not exactly newsworthy?

That’s exactly my point that the dude I’m replying to isn’t understanding.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

narcissist
/ˈnɑːsɪsɪst

noun
noun: narcissist; plural noun: narcissists

1. a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.
   "narcissists who think the world revolves around them"

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That’s exactly my point that the dude I’m replying to isn’t understanding.

Ah. Ok. Yeah. You’re right. I don’t really get the thread. Nothing was “brushed aside”. Nobody cared.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Ah. Ok. Yeah. You’re right. I don’t really get the thread. Nothing was “brushed aside”. Nobody cared.

Think that is true as he was delivering. Trouble now is he has become a human being again, but still thinks he is super human.

 

[Mickeza]

He was exceptional at football so you put up with it. Now he isn’t you don’t. It isn’t really any more deep than that.

 

[genardk]

Very few people viewed him as a narcissistic person, rather they viewed his antics as a reflection of his winning mentality, leadership skills etc. which were all BS till this year. I was one of those targeted regularly by his fans in this forum for making comments about his narcissistic nature, mentality monster BS which many were still buying up until last summer where he tried to move away unsuccessfully from United..

This is the same phenomenon in the business & political world where people tend to confuse narcissism with leadership, confidence, charism etc..

 

[Skills]

Very few people viewed him as a narcissistic person, rather they viewed his antics as a reflection of his winning mentality, leadership skills etc. which were all BS till this year. I was one of those targeted regularly by his fans in this forum for making comments about his narcissistic nature, mentality monster BS which many were still buying up until last summer where he tried to move away unsuccessfully from United..

This is the same phenomenon in the business & political world where people tend to conflate narcissism with leadership, confidence, charism etc..

Exactly.

The whole idea of him being this serial winner is what's bullshit.

 

[B20]

You’re missing the point.

I don't think I am. You seem to have an idea that some more should have been addressed over the years. What exactly? What kind of big talking point or story have you been missing.

 

[Fortitude]

Narcissists are often adored and idolised with hordes of people wanting to be like them or admiring their 'don't give a feck' attitude and approach to getting what they want in life. It's seen more as an admirable trait than one that is demonised, so long as that person is an embodiment of success. So the same traits people are asking why they weren't pulled up (they were), would be the same ones actually being marvelled at and celebrated.

As long as you are top percentile and what you do garners top tier output and results, you can be and do pretty much anything (on the legal side) and not only 'get away with it' but be applauded for it. Cluster B personality types that are successful carry a lot of baggage that would otherwise be seen as reprehensible, but that's literally irrelevant to the vast majority whilst they are on top.

The problems start when they are no longer at the top and have started to slide or plummet, at which point there is no 'good angle' to take their behaviour and personality flaws with positive affirmation. Ronaldo isn't unique in this respect, but we rarely get to see antics like his play out in real time from someone so, so high up the totem. A 'good' narcissist can dupe people for a lifetime, whilst Ronaldo, a really bad one, still behaves like a petulant teenager, giving us far too much insight than we should be getting. So close to reitirement... he woulda got away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids!

 

[IFC 1905]

This is a man that raises his heels in photos to appear taller.
This is a man that raises his shorts in training for cameras to see his thighs.

 

[B20]

I had that set as a child. loved it

 

[Shai-Hulud]

Same reason why cnuts like [insert huge sex pest/rapist who got away with it for ages] can keep going for so long. They have lots of power and influence and can crush people.

 

[Hugh Jass]

When you are banging in the goals people tend to ignore it.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Thing is he seems to have a problem switching off from being Cristiano Ronaldo the footballer. He is obsessive about being him, not wanting Messi to catch his CL record, being ungracious when somebody else wins something he perceives should be his. Yes it has given him those followers, but will those followers be there after football. It is what he does next in his life that will be interesting. Cannot see him being a manager, in fact I think he will be a terrible manager. So media work? What exactly will he do. Become a David Beckham who has a far better grip on reality than Ronaldo and is a more likeable character.

Yeh I've always wonder what will he do after football. In fact I can't see him doing anything else that would not put him as the star man of the show, so there is very little options left out there.

He would probably take his luck in the business world to promote his own brand further, and to sell his own brand products etc, as he has huge followings to manage. But once he is out of football and gets older, it just won't be the same, people would move on to worship other younger stars.

 

[SirReginald]

The guys always been a prick, but it's something most people (including myself tbf) have almost refused to acknowledge for many a year.

Instead this persona of the ultimate "winner" was created around him. The guy who'll do anything to win - well even that was a massive lie after watching multiple accounts of him being miserable/frustrated or at best indifferent to his team mates scoring. Winning was always a by product of Ronaldo's individual success - it was never the sole goal for him. And luckily, he was that good for so long and in that environment at Real Madrid - his own individual success ensured the teams success.

Now at this stage of his career - you can argue ever since he left Real Madrid, that has no longer been true.

You can be the ultimate winner and still be a prick. He was never a team player and it was always about him. His ego is so large it even had Madrid orbiting it. Only to inflate it further. But let’s not kid ourselves, there’s not many decent top athletes in any sport. They are able justify their pathetic attitudes to themselves by crying about wasted youth and sacrifice. Ronaldo has been very fortunate in his career because talent will only take you so far but you’ll never see him show his appreciation for the opportunity he got.

 

[IFC 1905]

He has always been like that. And always lived under the shadow of Messi, making comments about him here and there.

I still remember this, and he even got mad

 

[Skills]

He has always been like that. And always lived under the shadow of Messi, making comments about him here and there.

I still remember this, and he even got mad

that's unbelievable

 

[AndersB]

Why would anyone care if he is narcissistic or not, when he is actually a footballer who is there to win games for his teams, rather than a school teacher who is responsible of teaching manners for your kids at pre school.

Because he has the world's biggest following on Instagram or Twitter or whatever it is. He has a degree of influence over young people that might, just maybe, challenge that of a random teacher.

 

[Rnd898]

He's always been a narcissistic cnut. He has always cared about personal glory above all and his obsession with Ballon d'Ors and him hoggin all free kick duties ahead of better suited takers when everyone knew he would just end up shooting straight at the wall are both prime examples of where his priorities were.

In the past his rotten personality was just more accepted because the good still far outweighed the bad. Nowadays not so much.

 

[Adisa]

He has always been like that. And always lived under the shadow of Messi, making comments about him here and there.

I still remember this, and he even got mad

Even looks like he wants to cry.

 

[Gehrman]

That’s exactly what brushing aside is. It was known but ignored.

It wasn't ignored. It's been meme for ages.

 

[Gehrman]

Let’s just say if this traits is taken away from him, he might not have the same drive to score 800+ goals and keep getting nominated/win multiple Ballon D’ors over past 18 years.

And imagine if he was a humble/boring person instead, he might not have the same popularity and marketing pull in social media of 490m+ followers.

You don't really have to be a narcissist to have drive, self perfection, hard work and self confidence to succeed. In management, Mourinho has literally been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. Mourinho will never stop talking about himself and his trophies while SAF was above all that.

 

[Chief123]

It wasn't ignored. It's been meme for ages.

Use whatever word you want, but the point is it was brushed aside by the parties that mattered I.e the managers and teammates. They were happy to put up with it and not make a big deal because he was delivering on the pitch.

That’s no longer the case. That’s the point. While he was performing he got away with it. Now he isn’t, it’s a major problem.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Because he has the world's biggest following on Instagram or Twitter or whatever it is. He has a degree of influence over young people that might, just maybe, challenge that of a random teacher.

I don’t think that how it works on social media, although you maybe right with social responsibility argument. But then I personally don’t think being narcissistic is a necessarily a bad thing. It’s just that society teaches us to be more humble, as it’s more admirable and usually works better in social setting.

 

[Gehrman]

Use whatever word you want, but the point is it was brushed aside by the parties that mattered I.e the managers and teammates. They were happy to put up with it and not make a big deal because he was delivering on the pitch.

That’s no longer the case. That’s the point. While he was performing he got away with it. Now he isn’t, it’s a major problem.

Well no shit.

 

[Gehrman]

I don’t think that how it works on social media, although you maybe right with social responsibility argument. But then I personally don’t think being narcissistic is a necessarily a bad thing. It’s just that society teaches us to be more humble, as it’s more admirable and usually works better in social setting.

You can have self-confidence and self-esteem without being a narcissist. Nothing all that wrong with being narcissist though unless it turns you into a dick.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

He seems to have gained a following (a group of dedicated, die-hard fans) that resembles that of - say - Michael Jackson more than anything traditionally associated with football players.

Why that is, I ain't sure. He's never struck me as being particularly charismatic (not even compared to fellow footballers). I guess the time was right for something like it to happen - and it has something to do with the rivalry with Messi (the latter's fanboys/girls are probably just as insane).

 

[cafecillos]

He has always been like that. And always lived under the shadow of Messi, making comments about him here and there.

I still remember this, and he even got mad

This would be embarrassing if it happened in a children's match.

 

[RedRonaldo]

You don't really have to be a narcissist to have drive, self perfection, hard work and self confidence to succeed. In management, Mourinho has literally been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. Mourinho will never stop talking about himself and his trophies while SAF was above all that.

Well I mean it works differently for different people, isn’t it? Ultimately it’s all about achieving success and happiness in life, and there are many different paths leading to it. As long as it works best for him, it is then a good thing for him too.

And I doubt most wouldn’t want to live the life of Ronaldo, even he does have his fair share of hate and controversy, he does also gets all the attention, glory, money, career, and followings etc like no one else (or very few) could compare.