BBC Sport
Cristiano Ronaldo is pretty incomparable when it comes to football, but there is one person who he’s reminding people of on social media.
Homelander is the most meme-able figure on TV right now, and even if you don’t watch The Boys, the chances are you’re familiar with the character played by Antony Starr.
The Boys is based on the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and takes place in a world where superheroes are actually highly corrupt, with a group named The Boys working to expose them.
The psychopathic villain from the series, Homelander, has become one of the most recognisable on TV over recent times, and obvious comparisons have already been drawn to Donald Trump – with his supporters having a hard time recognising Homelander is a parody of the disgraced former US president.
Amazon Prime Video/Getty
Now, after watching Ronaldo completely dominate headlines during Portugal’s run at Euro 2024 people are beginning to compare him with the character.
For context, Ronaldo essentially managed to make Portugal’s recent game against Slovenia all about himself this week. He missed a penalty and teared up while the game went on, but it was his free-kick taking that inspired comparisons with Homelander.
The Portugal squad is stacked with talent and other excellent set-piece takers, including Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva but Ronaldo insisted on taking every free kick and shooting from ridiculous angles.
That’s despite having a pretty appalling record in major tournaments having scored just one goal in 60 attempts, including one from a tight angle that should have probably been a cross rather than a shot on goal.
This insistence on taking every free kick seemed to spark the Homelander comparisons.
Homelander, as fans of the show will know, is a narcissistic dictator, feared by other members of his team – and the fact that Ronaldo didn’t even entertain the idea of others taking free kicks seems to have sparked a number of memes.
Take a look at some of the social media takes below, not least one video which saw Ronaldo’s face imposed on Homelander’s.
Even Piers Morgan, a hardcore Ronaldo supporter, has been compared to some of Homelander's most loyal followers from the show.
Antony Starr has also reportedly started posting Ronaldo quotes on his Instagram.
Ronaldo can make amends for his shenanigans against Slovenia in Portugal's quarter-final clash with France on Friday. Meanwhile, you can see Homelander's latest antics in The Boys on Amazon Prime, where the show is now in its fourth season.
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