GARY NEVILLE says it was “horrible” to see Cristiano Ronaldo crying following Portugal’s shock World Cup quarter-final exit to Morocco.
The ex-Manchester United team-mates aren’t on the best of terms after Neville criticised the 37-year-old before his contract was ripped up.
Ronaldo famously snubbed the Sky Sports pundit pitchside in October.
He then claimed Neville is not a friend of his in a bombshell interview with SunSport columnist and TalkTV main man Piers Morgan.
Despite this, Neville says it was “horrible” to see the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in floods of tears after Portugal’s World Cup heartbreak.
They were dumped out by dark horses Morocco 1-0 in the quarters, ending Ronaldo’s dream of lifting the World Cup.
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Neville told his Sky Sports podcast: “I do want to mention Cristiano Ronaldo, because I saw that image of him crying in the tunnel. That was a horrible image for me.
“That’s that moment where he knows his dream of winning the World Cup for his country has gone.
“We’ve all been there at the end of our careers, but he’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time.
“It was horrible to see him like that. He’s had a tough couple of months.”
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Ronaldo will now step up his search for a new club following his exit from United.
There hasn’t been any takers so far in Europe but there’s strong interest from the Middle East.
Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a move to Al Nassr.
However, the Saudi side now have their sights set on another Premier League attacker in Roberto Firmino.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk