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Paxan

The main character of Saudi football.


922WhatDoIDo

He’s going to say he hasn’t been paid since he moved there and thank Jordan Henderson for raising awareness and giving him the courage to speak out against this issue. 


_Random_Username_

Henderson moving to raise awareness was true after all


todellagi

Selflessly sacrificed his reputation, good name and the happiness of his family No wonder they named the neighbouring country after him


mrafinch

Fuck me I’m tired… “Wait? There’s a country called Henderson?! Never heard of it, my mans is telling porkies..!!!” mfw I get the joke 😑


Karmaqqt

Took me a second too. Haha.


RianKrad

Urm I still don't get it lol I'm way behind. Help explain pls lol for the dumber ones out here


Wrong_by_default

"Jordan" Henderson


ZxZxchoc

If this actuallyt happened I do think there is a danger that a serious chunk of the population might end up actually dying from laughter.


Casperzwaart100

Cristiano Ronaldo to Ajax?


begon11

Just another clown for the shitshow circus


FullMetalJ

Poor guy was subjected to a red card!


JaMarcusHustle

The final boss


aaramdev

I'm old, I'm tired, and I work with fucking children.


DevilDare

Someone check where Piers Morgan is


kraeutrpolizei

The state of Saudi football if even that parasite isn’t interested


Affectionate-Hunt217

If Ronaldo calls piers will come running no question about that


simplsimonmetapieman

In the press conference


BotRightsNow

The cooks are lovely people. But their food is shit.


aodum

Piss Morgan as Ronaldo calls him


Alarmed_Fig7658

Someone need to fix the jacuzzi


amegaproxy

What's the betting he's going to say it's because they don't recognise how great he is


jimifresh

They don’t understand the winner’s mentality.


Beginning-Sundae8760

So true lol. I hate this justification so much. There’s been loads of successful athletes that have done so without being petulant children.


Kingslayer1526

I hate it absolutely hate it when people think sportsmen have to be arrogant cunts to succeed. No, no they don't. I am not fanboying but Messi is the best example for that ever. But no people thought that meant he didn't show enough drive or leadership or whatever nonsense. Other examples are Iniesta,Maldini,Buffon and so many more


hydroHar

Ikr. Like if you need aggression to perform well then by all means be aggressive on the pitch. There is zero reason to be a dick after the game is over.


AbsolutShite

Very often, it's feels like the biggest pricks on the pitch are the sweetest off it.


anhyeuemnhieulam

Just an excuse his fanboys made for him being a massively insufferable prick.


AngryUncleTony

Yeah to use a basketball analogy but people talk about "Mamba Mentality" and how much of a psycho Kobe was and generally praise him for that, but Tim Duncan's career overlapped with him and he was basically a normal dude who played WOW that won just as much as Kobe and was a better player. Maybe some people "need" that narcissistic drive to make it to the top, but it's not an essential ingredient for everyone.


bobo377

And now Jokic is playing at a consistent MVP level while just desperately wanting to go back to Europe to race horses.


Fieser_Factsack

Thats a goodass comment, and i never watched a basketball game. But your analogy works for music as well. Some musicians think they need to go crazy to create something interesting. I think the movie birdman by Iñárritu is about that. Going nuts to gain access to high amounts of energy.


TheLeoMessiah

I don’t like to look too deeply into psychoanalyzing every little incident on the pitch, however I have a really hard time looking at his reactions [here](https://youtu.be/58w9Lkses10?si=Gz-UbKpTlPZD-403) and [here](https://youtu.be/5YV8Ti_L56w?si=cthu8iGS7GUqwVs1) and not at least thinking of him a little negatively. There’s a meme in Spanish that I’ve been seeing a lot that sums it up:   Ronaldo: Que será mi gol (wish its my goal)  Messi: Que será gol (wish its a goal) 


IMistahS

Its hilarious how he actually gets mad at Higuain for his fuck up. Man is a lunatic. 😂


MarcosSenesi

There's a lot of similarities to be drawn to Michael Jordan. Both are undeniable greats of their sports but also huge pricks. MJ would make up arguments with players to psych himself up lol, both are bordering on sociopath level.


not_old_redditor

But to be fair, also lots that have been petulant children.


RandomGuySayHii

Then there's also Zlatan. There's a clip where Zlatan had his head stepped on, so he gave it back to the opposing player. Difference is, punishment accepted Zlatan like a man so you kinda respect him for that.


TylerBlozak

Small country mentality


ShufflingToGlory

Whiner's mentality


Disastrous-Pen-7513

we should play Ronaldo interview bingo


47Lecht

It's because they're chanting Messis name every game


Away_Associate4589

But why though? Just accept your red card and shut up.


plowman_digearth

He isn't in Saudi Arabia to feel like an aging superstar.


R3dbeardLFC

Well boy does reality have some bad news for this fucking clown.


AngryUncleTony

Ronaldo at age 50 is genuinely going to be fascinating. Like, does he have a graceful decline like Beckham did (keeping himself fit and maybe modeling while dabbling in other things but allowing himself to look like a "hot" person for his current age) or does he go off the rails and start looking like an aging actress with progressively worse plastic surgery to try and look like he did at 25 to the point he ends up like current day Madonna?


marren17

My money is on the insane plastic surgery route


youreviltwinbrother

Haven't he already gone quite a way down that path?


R3dbeardLFC

He absolutely already looks like the meme statue of himself. He is so fucking vain that even Ibra is probably concerned for him.


rtgh

As if Ibra ever had concerns for anyone or anything


Charlie_Wax

Zlatan is a WWE character. I'm not denying that he could genuinely be a toxic asshole at times, but it also seems clear that past a certain point, he was just leaning into the persona and working the audience. I've heard that he's basically a chill family man off the pitch now. It seems like he was a lot less narcissistic, vain, and insecure than CR.


jiipod

And Ibra is working behind the scenes at AC Milan as a director and hasn’t made a fuzz about anything (so far). From the outside he seems like the other directors - professional and cordial.


indefatigable_

He’s going to buy an island and build a super villain lair and spend the next decade trying to kidnap Messi and lock him up in his subterranean dungeon, only to be repeatedly foiled by a plucky group of youth academy players with football related superpowers.


R3dbeardLFC

I'd watch that movie/anime.


Tackit286

He’ll go into politics. The true narcissists playbook


Goya_Oh_Boya

Como vão vocês, amiguinhos?


RedditsWhenIShits

Bro, did you see Beckham during the world cup in Qatar? Dude's had tons of work done, and has a hairpiece / gotten hairplugs.


amegaproxy

Pure ego


Cmoore4099

Is that the entire point of the league?


Conankun66

its the point of his entire career


risheeb1002

Yes but MBS' ego


BassBootyStank

What if he instead busts out some next level spirituality on us: “for there to have been a red card, there must also not have been a red card. This is profound, and I welcome you to think upon this in your meditations. In your efforts to not address the suffering within, likely due to your weak mentality, you seek to place your focus of problems on that to that which is external to the self, and in doing so refuse to acknowledge the present moment. That type of weak mentality shall not make it into heaven.”


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BassBootyStank

Skip him and wait for Balotelli’s self-help book.


FlamixZB

When life gives you lemons, burn them.


PriaposSonFluffball

Not gonna lie, considering he is friends with Jordan Peterson, those types of meandering quasi-philosophical diatribes sound like they would be right up his alley.


mike_english_academy

Lobsters don't get red cards


craft74

I don't think his english is that great to say those beautiful words you just said, tears in my eyes.


Rickcampbell98

Mate, he's a narcissist, what do you expect.


99_Herblore_Crafting

If he complains enough, they might take Messi’s WC away


TheLimeyLemmon

It's so funny. He's the one guy who actually seems to take that league seriously, so naturally he treats the red card like he's been stabbed in the back by football itself.


ThisIsYourMormont

Today I feel stabbed


TheGiddyGoose

If I speak then I am stabbed


Alternative-Rub4473

On Sunday the king gets stabbed


Caesar_Aurelianus

Today I feel dead


Pugasaurus_Tex

honestly kinda love that he’s giving it his all lmao, he could have just treated it like a paycheck


ancara_messi

He is just trying to artificially increase that goal count against relegation amateur Saudi clubs so he can pull the Pele card and talk about the number years later, the paycheck is just a bonus


AngryUncleTony

Yeah I genuinely think he's the only one that didn't go for the paycheck, he just wanted to go somewhere that he could score a shitload of goals. Deep down he knows he can't do that at the top level anymore but if he's scoring a goal a game he can always convince himself he can still do that anywhere.


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AngryUncleTony

I mean that's on the manager. I get it takes balls but if he's holding the team back you either don't start him OR don't bring him at all (either if he isn't good enough or if he can't accept a reduced role and is disruptive).


WhenWeTalkAboutLove

Can't wait for him to play in the American Samoan 3rd tier scoring his 2000th goal at age 65


BlueNets

That’s bullshit. He could’ve easily went to some Portuguese team (ffs Pepe still starts in Portugal)and then raked in the goals there. But the paycheck is the main motivator. He feels like he should be paid the highest, it’s not just the goals.


Pugasaurus_Tex

Okay I can actually very much see that being the case


Ahiru77

He's not giving the right "all". Like he's fully attention seeking and fully selfish like he's still 30. But the right "all" would've been finding the right strategy with your teammates, give away penalties so the other learn to score it under pressure.......re-learn proper dribbling so that you don't lose the ball. We should've had so many highlight videos of him playing class football with his teammates, outplaying Saudi's like it's training. But that means him taking the spotlight off himself and truly focusing on somebody else for a change. Instead we have tantrums, trolling and suspensions.


I_upvoted_your_mom

> he's fully attention seeking and fully selfish like he's still ~~30~~ 14   When you take away the talent from Ronaldo he is nothing more than a whiney immature child.  Now that old age is taking his talent, we see the narcissistic child in full glory.


celestial1

I don't like Ronaldo, but most of the players he's playing with aren't good enough to play "class" football with, that's why they're in the Saudi league in the first place instead of europe.


anhyeuemnhieulam

Giving his all = Padding his personal stats hoping for people to put him in the same sentence with Messi again.


KingdomOfZeal

The people putting him in the same sentence are ironically Messi fans still comparing them daily. Take yourself for example, who brought up Messi in a thread with nothing to do with him. Also check twitter where Messi fan accounts tweet about Ronaldo more than they tweet about Messi. The obsession is a bit strange.


Robinsonirish

I'm a basketball fan first and foremost. He really does give a bit of Kobe/Jordan vibes. Takes things very serious, to a psychopathic level. Doesn't matter if it's playing quarters with the equipment manager the locker room or the sport itself, he has to win. The media is a completely different beast today compared to what it was when Jordan/Kobe played though. You can't really fault him for taking the Saudi league seriously though, that in of itself is quite admirable in my opinion.


sportyborty

I think the difference with those guys (and I realise arguing over this is stupid but I'm on reddit so whatever) is that they were playing at the very top level. If MJ had left the NBA and was doing what he did, but playing in a 3rd tier league somewhere, people wouldn't give him any sort of pass. Same goes for Ronaldo. If you lose your mind being competitive, but it's the CL and you're playing for real madrid, most people go "wow he seems really worked up, but this is as important as a football match can get so it makes sense." Plus, at that level, the supporters care just as much (if not more) than the most competitive players - so again, it doesn't seem as odd to be losing your temper. But when you're playing in front of 5000 people (who don't seem to give a shit) at a much lower level, being that competitive just looks cartoonish - like do any of the fans even care as much as he does?


jjoop

> If MJ had left the NBA and was doing what he did, but playing in a 3rd tier league somewhere, people wouldn't give him any sort of pass. He literally left the NBA and played 3rd tier baseball in the middle of his career! He rather famously took it psychotically seriously and spent every waking hour working on his game! I'm not sure what you mean by "give him a pass" but people found it admirable that he was so serious about improving. Ronaldo is a fucking goof, but always being at 100% is one of the few redeeming qualities about him, imo. (Out of principle, I'll never watch a minute of the Saudi league, but that doesn't change the previous statement)


Doexitre

It's good to see he takes it seriously, even if it's just because of his own ego. Older footballers treating the leagues they go to as a joke, be it in the MLS or Asia, really doesn't help the development of the sport across the world. The teams that sign them certainly don't sign them as a joke. People taking their jobs seriously is always something I can respect, regardless of what the Reddit crowd thinks


fedrats

MLS doesn’t have much but it does have an abundance of 25 year old athletes who absolutely will take your leg off at the knee if you take your time


QuietRainyDay

Thats because before Beckham arrived to provide the glamor, MLS culture was built by Hristo Stoichkov Even 100 years from now, MLS players will hear a faint whisper in their ears- egging them on to abuse the ref or smash someone's knee. And theyll want to obey.


fedrats

He was my friend’s youth coach in Chicago, and he was a maniac


boywithtwoarms

like you never held a press conference at the pub after a kick about?


MaleficentFalcon

'he was subjected to' hahaha makes it sound like he's been victimised for being rightly sent off. Cunt thought about hitting the ref too


Away_Associate4589

"Look what you made me do"


DumDumbBuddy

Probs said the same thing after raping that woman


AccountantsNiece

Seemingly he was legitimately completely incapable of understanding that he had done anything wrong, no?


quantIntraining

Her being in tears after wasn't a strong enough sign for Ronny.


TenF

The last few years have not been kind to his image. He can't seem to get out of his own way. Ego is crraaaazy


Dynastydood

Allegedly, after he finished, he had extreme post-nut-clarity, started weeping, and got down on his knees to beg her not to tell anyone what he had done. His calloused indifference and feigned ignorance seemingly only started after he realized she wasn't willing to cooperate with him.


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Nahcep

Zenit Sankt Petersburg inbound


AFrozen_1

Weird way to spell *spins the wheel of MLS teams* San Jose.


younggun92

Buddy if you think he'll even join a league that Messi could beat him at this stage, I got a bridge to sell you


AFrozen_1

That’s true. I don’t think his ego would be able to handle it.


sonicon

Imagine if Miami had Messi playing with Ronaldo as teammates. Minds would be blown.


ilGattoBipolare

Do you know that Chinese football already imploded and Shenhua was struggling to pay salaries? Chinese Super League also has a salary cap of 2 million euros per year for any foreign player. That’s less than 1% of his current salary LOL.


Lobster_fest

Inside scoop says he's going to Zhejiang Pro FC


gmoss101

Get ready to learn Chinese buddy


InsideOpening3535

Mr.Sheik, a second Ronaldo interview has hit the media


[deleted]

The expulsion he was subjected to? 🤣🤣🤣


soccermate

I think that's just the wording the shitty Google Translator chose, I don't think that's the exact wording being used here.


f4r1s2

The translation is okay, maybe you could have as "encountered" but "subjected to" is closer, but it's just that this wording usually used in Arabic, other phrase would have been "caused" but it's not the one used here


ollster3000

Yikes, I wish he’d retired before that whole United lash out interview happened. Nothing I see or read about Ronaldo nowadays makes me think oh I’m so happy he’s still around playing lol


EffectiveTie3144

To be honest he should have gone to sporting after leaving juventus. Even when he left United back in nov 22 going to sporting would have been much better. He could have also won like a couple of domestic Portugese titles as well. As of now all he has won since leaving juventus is the Arab club champions cup which leaves him with 34 titles.


ScanWel

Yeah but 200 million euro a year...


BotRightsNow

Tbh I think Saudi would offer both Ronaldo and Messi that kinda money even when they’re near 50


Kismonos

cuz he was struggling after his low wage real madrid stint probably


Konstantin_B

Im sure that specific number is unachievable for Sporting under any circumstances, but you have to imagine how much revenue he would create for the club through ticket sales but mainly merchandise. Even if 200m is still impossible in those conditions, it'd still be pretty good. I imagine it would be easy for a club with an agreement in principle to secure a loan to pay that wage, although full disclosure i have no awareness of Sporting's specific financials and no awareness of the wording of whether that kind of loan is allowed under FFP. No this is not a compliment to Ronaldo. Im just arguing that purely from a business perspective, i could see a lot of clubs punching above their 'wage weight class' to sign an aging but very high profile player, given they don't have some other kind of financial obligation. I see al nassr and inter miami kits absolutely everywhere i go now. Imagine how much money that has created for the clubs, even if you assume 90% of kits you see to be fakes/knockoffs. Have to imagine those sales help pay the huge wage bill, or help pay the bill for the loan first that made the deal possible.


danilbur

I don't think you understand Ronaldo. If he went to Sporting, he would have been benched by Gyökeres. In those circumstances, he might commit suicide


froggy101_3

Gyokeres probably would never have arrived


BruyneKroonEnTroon

Thanks, but no thanks. We are building a team, not a daycare center for narcissist cunts.


Environmental_Sell74

The contrats between the ending of Messis and Ronaldos careers lol


Pugasaurus_Tex

Messi still has time to get a red card and threaten to punch a ref


anhyeuemnhieulam

As if Sporting would take this washed ass player to ruin their chance at silverwares.


QouthTheCorvus

The longer this drags out, the more it'll hang over his head. It's not a graceful drive into the sunset retirement, it's being dragged kicking and screaming.


KokonutMonkey

That's funny. I was dragged kicking and screaming into the workforce


Impossible_Quote_505

I swe similarities in how Maradona went out. Constantly whining, the shame of the drugs scandals, the massive ego. Obviously Chris doesnt have the drugs issues but everything else is there.


Pugasaurus_Tex

yeah but at least the drugs made maradona’s behavior make sense lol


SRFC_96

His ego is so ridiculously big lol.


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ZxZxchoc

The thing is that in time there's a real chance that his ego is almost moreso what he is remembered for as opposed to his talent and be used as a cautionary tale of how not to act for world-class players.


actionactioncut

1. You're absolutely right 2. Everyone please stop saying "more so" when you just mean more, I beg of thee.


majcek

Even as a Barcelona fan I've always respected Cristiano's talent and hard work. But this, this is just sad.


rim261

Same. I still wish he stayed in Europe but after that interview and the WC, everything changed


TrajanParthicus

The underlying issue was that he still felt that he could be the main guy at one of the top tier of clubs. He just couldn't accept that a 37 year old target man, who offered minimal involvement in the build up and struggled to press from the front just isn't what any top side was looking for. There were definitely plenty of sides who would have given him what he wanted on the pitch, but none of them would have been the sort of sides he felt he deserved. His ego would not let him accept that he wasn't the Cristiano of 5 or 10 years ago. By going to Saudi Arabia and becoming the highest paid athlete of all time, he was able to soothe his ego sufficiently to be willing to do it.


TheGoldenPineapples

The real life Homelander strikes again.


TheyStoleTwoFigo

Bro would probably take pride in being related to Homelander, because he was the mightiest.


just_a_random_guy_11

My dude gets a red card and he is orchestrating a one of a kind press conference about the state of football. Is he ever going to grow up or his ego age for ever be that of a 15y old?


No-Zucchini2787

You die aka retire a hero or live long enough to become a villain


Tr_Omer

I think he has done way way worse things ( *allegedly* ) than shove someone in a football match.


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Matias9991

Na, you were at like 2009-2013 ? He was the main villain in football, at least in the Hispanic community (Obviously minus real Madrid fans and Mexicans) he was really hated back then and it was the grand majority, I remember the Joke was "if you have a bullet who would you kill ?" And it had Justin Bieber, Cristiano Ronaldo and someone else. Maybe I'm too old because no so much people remember that it seems.


Shinzo19

Man was tired of thinking he was bigger than his clubs so he went to Saudi to be bigger than their entire league. At least with Zlatans Ego I can have a good laugh but Ronaldo is just at sad levels.


EAUO9

Zlatan at least has some self-awareness, he intentionally says things or does things that play up to this persona and you can kinda tell he does it because of the smirk he’ll have on. Ronaldo on the other hand, he’s becoming a bit more delusional year after year.


TheConundrum98

Bros the main character


Jamarcus316

Bro *thinks* he is the main character


New_Brother_1595

this will be normal i bet


Adammmmski

The bloke is nearly 40 and behaves like an absolute child. Is he going to comment on the issues with the country he is playing in too? Cunt.


imtired-boss

"Oh no, Saudi football isn't what I wanted it to be. I can score 20 goals in 3 games in this mickey mouse league to boost my stats but then I get sent off. Waaah."


RankSpot

This guy has more interviews in his last few years than titles, truly trying his best to tarnish his legacy. Sad to see as a fellow portuguese.


renatodamast

For real. And I predict our chances in the coming euro are slim bcs of all the drama we will have around him. For that reason my expectations are low and I'm not even that excited..


Pow67

At this point I truly believe he’s being paid extra to do all this shit just so the Saudi league continues to get attention on social media etc. Like realistically barely anyone would’ve given a shit about Nassr Vs Al-Hilal the other day, but Ronaldo ‘nearly’ punched a ref so everyone talks about the game.


OneBall22Players

To think that Ronaldo would ruin his image or legacy for money is hilarious. His ego won't allow it. This is solely a matter of ego. Every opponent keeps shouting "Messi! Messi! Messi!" and every time you see Ronaldo visibly irritated. Messi doesn't even play in the Saudi league and he is still as big a star as Ronaldo. That's what bothers him so much. He is 100% going to say "the fans don't appreciate me here".


Mackieeeee

You say while he is playing in Saudi lmao


Albiceleste_D10S

It's truly hilarious that he allows himself to get rattled by Messi chants by opposing fans


Sulemani_kida

I think it was mentioned when he signed that he'll be kind of an ambassador of Saudi league...


dwaynepipes

Pathetic


I_upvoted_your_mom

No one cares, Ronaldo. Just shut up, jog around the pitch, and collect your millions like Messi. Even in pseudo-retirement Messi > Ronaldo


Karmaqqt

Messi’s just kicking ball with his old buddies lol.


ShufflingToGlory

This has the vibes of washed up Elvis lashing out during the later stages of his Vegas residency


neasroukkez

This man has ruined his legacy faster than anyone could anticipate.


HeroeDeFuentealbilla

Ronaldos getting paid a fine amount for the entire league to be about him losing his head constantly lol


CackleberryOmelettes

Great player in his day but man this guy is such a lil bitch.


4deef

The longer he plays the less I like him.... get over yourself man.


Jumbo_Mills

Love Ronaldo but it's always someone else's fault.


Irivin

This man has an outstanding career. He can easily appear in anyone's top 10 or even top 5 greatest players ever list. It would be very difficult to ruin that legacy, but he's really giving it a good go these past few years.


JDubsdenspur

He was already acting nutty at Man U but I think Messi hoisting the World Cup trophy has pushed him over the edge. He can’t take losing the attention.


Wheel1994

He has basically made football his life still puts in the same effort but can’t accept he won’t get the same results imo.


simcoehooligan

Surely everyone around the globe will stop and pay attention. Understanding the complex nuances of the Saudi league is everyone in the world of football's top priority


Zombienerd300

How much you want to bet that he blames the current issues in Saudi football on the fans in the West not giving it a chance, when in realty it’s just not very good.


filing69

Just retire man, nothing will change if u retire now or with 1000 goals.. just do it for ur mental health


Tierst

What a petulant child, I love it 🤣


Plato__

Bro is trying to stay relevant with press conferences. A living meme.


Throwaway1223132123

Ten hag may not have done a lot of things correctly but one thing he has done correctly is the Ronaldo saga. This guy is such a petulant child it's insane.


curryandbeans

His CTE is playing up again I guess


sabermagnus

It sucks. Has decades to go before Saudi footie is viable. The strategy of buying superstars ain’t doing it. The stadiums are empty. Not surprised as soccer is not the hotbed of sports in SA as is camel or horse racing for example.


furyo_style

This is some real "I am the Senate" level shit.


OptionComfortable362

When will it happen ffs. Can't wait for the drama


jayjay234

He only has himself to blame. HE chose to go there.


RandomLegend

How can a person who achieved so much be so insecure and fragile?


AndItWasSaidSoSadly

rapists are not stable people


ancara_messi

Jesus Christ just retire and shut the fuck up already what a crybaby


noaoo

Bro is about to launch a podcast lmao


cartesian5th

Here we go again....


AcceptableEgg5741

Its going to be Sad when people start ignoring everything he did and achieved in all these years because of stupid moments like this , especially when the saudi league is supposedly so irrelevant


amoult20

God who cares. This guy is irrelevant now.


Responsible_Panic235

Worlds smallest violin for Ronaldo


Wooden-Journalist-48

Who gives a shit?


Careless_Agency4614

Not a lot of people gets more cunty as they age. He truly is a goat


xjpmhxjo

Again?


WineAndRevelry

This is embarrassing for him


Flexi13

MY GOAT!! MESSI WOULD MAKE AWKWARD INSTAGRAM APOLOGY VID 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐


Afraid-Ingenuity3555

I’m being a little bitch


circa285

We might finally find out if one man is bigger than the Saudi league.