The European Football Championship is being held in Germany this year, with the biggest stars from well-known national teams striving to reach the final and lift the winner's cup. Among them is Cristiano Ronaldo, the globally renowned Portuguese striker. On Monday, 1 July, Ronaldo missed a penalty kick against Slovenia and subsequently burst into tears, sparking a heated debate on social media.

Despite the increasing conversation about mental health in sports, many people are still shocked when players show emotion, especially men, who are often expected to remain emotionless. After Ronaldo's emotional display during the match against Slovenia, social media was flooded with a wave of hate speech. Comments criticised him for being unprofessional, behaving childishly, and performing for attention. Daria Abramowicz, a psychologist responsible for Iga Swiatek's mental health, weighed in on the debate.

Social media is full of vile criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo's behaviour. After he burst into tears during the match against Slovenia, internet users were relentless in their disapproval. Former Polish national team manager Jerzy Brzęczek claimed that Ronaldo's tears were merely for attention, a sentiment echoed by sports commentator Tomasz Smokowski. This prompted Daria Abramowicz, the psychologist who has significantly aided Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek, to speak out. It seems many have forgotten that intense emotions often accompany football games.

"'It's not manly.' 'It's unprofessional.' 'Would he cry in the trench, too?' These beliefs and opinions emerge in the public discourse regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's tears. The media initiated this discussion in a manner that, in the 21st century, considering numerous examples of emotional regulation from the sports world, still baffles and tires me. We seem to take a step forward in social awareness, only for some 'expert' opinion to pull us two steps back," wrote Daria Abramowicz on the X platform.

"What happened that made Ronaldo cry? What were the consequences? Throughout the match, he displayed a lot of emotion in every situation. Perhaps he was carrying an enormous amount of tension? Maybe this was his way of quickly releasing pressure during the match? Maybe this tournament means much more to him than it appears? Maybe he has a strong sense of responsibility? And maybe this moment of vulnerability paradoxically strengthened the team? Maybe!" continued Iga Swiatek’s psychologist.

"We know he was the first to step up and take the penalty, shouldering the responsibility for the team and the result. That’s leadership in action. The rest? These are opinions voiced from the comfort of a couch, likely filtered through stereotypes irrelevant to sports performance. Opinions lacking justification or competence to diagnose and evaluate the player. Perhaps it is better to leave this area to the experts? Believe me, it will benefit everyone," Daria Abramowicz wrote on social media.