Portugal’s forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Portugal and Spain at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on July 6, 2026. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher and British broadcaster Piers Morgan have exchanged words on social media after a disagreement over Morgan’s defence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The row began on Friday when Carragher, speaking on The Overlap Daily, criticised Morgan and former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand for defending the Portuguese forward despite their personal relationships with him.
Carragher argued that familiarity with footballers should not prevent pundits from honestly assessing their actions.
“People think it’s good to be close to people in the game, but this is where it becomes a problem,” he said.
“People like Piers Morgan and Rio Ferdinand, who are big people in the media whether you like them or not, are embarrassing themselves with the nonsense that they’re coming out with because they know Ronaldo. You can know someone and try to look after them, but you cannot defend the indefensible.”
Morgan responded on Saturday in a post on X, challenging Carragher over his own past stance during the controversy involving former Liverpool striker Luis Suárez and former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
“Here is the same Jamie Carragher supporting his friend Luis Suarez after he racially abused Patrice Evra,” Morgan wrote.
Carragher quoted Morgan’s post and acknowledged that Liverpool’s support for Suárez at the time had been wrong.
“We as a team did support our teammate and we were wrong,” Carragher replied.
He said he had apologised to Evra on television years earlier, prompting Liverpool to send a letter of apology to the former Manchester United defender.
Carragher then accused Morgan of reacting poorly to criticism, arguing that the broadcaster was willing to attack others publicly but took matters personally when challenged.
“Your reaction to my slight criticism saying you & Rio are in bed with Ronaldo so it clouds your judgement when speaking about him is embarrassing,” Carragher wrote.
He also accused Morgan of seeking another interview with Ronaldo, describing him as a “sycophant”.
In a further response, Carragher shared an image of a 2008 newspaper article in which Morgan had criticised Ronaldo, highlighting the headline: “Ronaldo is a spoiled brat, why cheer him?”
