Brazil legend Ronaldo has thrown his weight behind Gabriel Jesus in the wake of criticism of the Arsenal man after his World Cup-ending injury against Cameroon.
Jesus will no longer be a part of Brazil’s World Cup campaign and will be sitting out the next two to three months of the rest of Arsenal’s Premier League season as he recovers from the injury he picked up in Brazil’s last World Cup group stage game against Cameroon. This has thrown a spanner in the works at Arsenal and has made Tite’s job a little more difficult in the ongoing tournament.
Words of encouragement from fans and teammates have poured in for Jesus but some have also taken the opportunity to criticise him for his goal-scoring form. Ronaldo, who featured at four World Cups for Brazil and won two of them, understands what Jesus is passing through having been in the same shoes in 1998. He has now come out to encourage the former Manchester City man while dishing out some strong words to those criticising him.
“Criticism can either be constructive or destructive in one’s life,” Ronaldo began in his message on Instagram. “Words have the power to lift up and tear down. Sometimes the same ones that boost one discourage another. Therefore, it is important to be careful what we say. But, above all, what we listen to.
“We can’t control what others will say, and will live in dark times of normalisation of hate speech. But we can filter what comes into our ears. Let your self-image, Gabriel Jesus, not be based on what others say.
“May you never forget where you came from because the boy who had the dream of being a player didn’t take an easy path, full of opportunities and privileges.
“The boy did the impossible. The ‘impossible’ extraordinary. He left the Peri Garden to conquer the world. He won several titles, Copa America champion and was decisive in the first achievement of the Tite era. Olympic champion, fundamental in Brazil’s Gold.
“He’s the Brazilian with the highest averaging goals in Premier League history. While many insist on comparing trajectories to disqualify an athlete, I’m here today to remind you that your story is unique.
“You came to the national team with a lot of merit and I hope you still shine bright with your football. May you overcome what needs to be overcome, may you face what needs to be faced, may you continue to believe in your dreams because they are the ones that brought you here. Get well soon!”
