Jun 14, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Brazilian former football player Ronaldo Nazario takes a selfie with fans before a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marco Bello-Reuters via Imagn Images

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Too Boring: Ronaldo Says He Can’t Watch Football Anymore

Ronaldo’s comments came last year while Brazil were competing in Copa America 2024, where they suffered a quarterfinal exit.

Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario has admitted that he no longer enjoys watching football matches. The former Real Madrid striker revealed that he finds football matches “too boring” compared to his growing love for tennis. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner made the comments while speaking at the Mouratoglou Annual Charity Gala,

Ronaldo’s comments came last year while Brazil were competing in Copa America 2024, where they suffered a quarterfinal exit after a penalty shootout defeat to Uruguay following a goalless draw. His remarks surprised many fans, considering his legendary status in football. Ronaldo had a stellar playing career, crowned by two World Cups and silverware at Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan.

In a surprising revelation, Ronaldo said,

“I think I love tennis more now than football. It’s unbelievable. I cannot watch football matches, I think it’s too boring, but I can stay for five hours watching tennis, it’s crazy.”

"I think I love more tennis now than football" ! 😍 A living legend in football, Ronaldo, twice Ballon d'Or winner in 1997 and 2002, showed his love for tennis at the Mouratoglou Annual Charity Gala held at the Mouratoglou Academy last Saturday 🫶🎾 A special moment! pic.twitter.com/Bb5OL9yta2
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) June 25, 2024

Neymar Is Brazil’s Biggest Hope for Next Year’s World Cup: Ronaldo

Ronaldo Nazario believes Neymar remains the Selecao’s “biggest hope” ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He urged the Brazilian fans to keep faith in the forward as he works his way back to full fitness.

Neymar recently returned to action with Santos after a year-long knee ligament injury that saw his Al-Hilal contract terminated. He has since made 14 appearances for his boyhood club, recording three goals and three assists. Neymar received a call-up for Brazil’s March internationals but was forced to withdraw due to injury, leading to his omission from Carlo Ancelotti’s first squad selection as head coach.

Despite a challenging phase in Neymar’s career, Ronaldo insists that the former PSG and Barcelona attacker should be a central part of Brazil’s plans for the 2026 World Cup.

Ronaldo told Goal,

“It’s not easy to be out for a year, come back from a serious injury and start playing again as if nothing had happened. What Neymar is going through is very natural. It’s happened to almost everyone who has had an injury that lasts more than a year. You can look at the statistics. It’s very difficult.”

“He doesn’t have to push himself to the limit all the time during this recovery process, especially since he’s our biggest hope for the Brazilian national team. I talked to him a lot so he could take it easy, stay focused, train hard, and keep his legs strong. The goal has to be the World Cup.”

Brazil National Team

Neymar

Ronaldo Nazario

Abhinav Goel

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I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.