Turkish leader says the Portuguese footballer is ‘someone who stands for the Palestinian cause’, despite lack of public statements by Ronaldo on Palestine. As he compared the Portuguese footballer to Lionel Messi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed Cristiano Ronaldo was subject to a "political prohibition" during the World Cup. “Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy,” Erdogan said. They squandered Ronaldo. Sadly, they have placed a political ban on him, Erdogan stated on Sunday at a youth gathering in the eastern region of Erzurum. #IamTheRumorist #TheRumorist #Erdogan #Erdugan #Ronaldo #Fifa2022 #Palestine