Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the centre of an emotional rollercoaster. The Portuguese legend saw his penalty saved by Slovenia goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, during extra-time, leading to an outburst of tears on the pitch.
As his teammates gathered to console him, the moment was broadcast live by the BBC, which chose to add a controversial caption to the replay: “Misstiano Penaldo.”
The pun, playing on Ronaldo’s name and his missed penalty, sparked immediate backlash from viewers. One user on X (formerly Twitter) described the caption as “evil work,” reflecting the sentiment of many who felt the jibe was in poor taste.
BBC putting "Misstiano Penaldo" as the graphic on his pen is EVIL work 😭 pic.twitter.com/efso4W36WL
— Joe Gilmore (@Gilology) July 1, 2024
Among the critics was former Chelsea captain John Terry, who did not mince words in his reaction. Taking to Instagram, Terry shared a screenshot of the caption and labelled the BBC’s action a “disgrace.”
His strong response resonated with fans and commentators who saw the caption as a disrespectful slight against one of football’s greatest players.
🚨
— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) July 2, 2024
John Terry calls out BBC Sport for disrespecting Cristiano Ronaldo.
Still can't believe such a huge news outlet did this. pic.twitter.com/wqIIB1Ss31
Ironically, Terry’s own career includes a notable penalty miss in the 2008 Champions League final, where Chelsea faced Manchester United.
The BBC’s decision to air the caption was defended by some, including former presenter Dan Walker. Walker praised the “perfect penalty punnery” and revealed the identity of the pun’s creator.
According to Walker, Gary Pask, a former colleague from Football Focus, was behind the quip and had likely been waiting for years to use it. Walker’s endorsement of the pun as a clever piece of wordplay added another layer to the debate.
Ronaldo, known for his resilience, did not let the missed penalty define the match. He regained his composure and was the first to score during the decisive penalty shootout, leading Portugal to victory and securing their place in the quarter-finals against France.
