The most read Vietnamese newspaper
Edition: International | Vietnamese
© Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved.
In an interview with AS last week, Alcaraz ranked Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Ronaldinho and Neymar in his personal top five.
The interview on social media quickly sparked backlash. Many fans questioned how the 21-year-old could omit Messi.
"It’s ridiculous—Ronaldo but no Messi?" one user wrote.
Some defended Alcaraz, noting that as a professional tennis player, he might not follow football closely.
"Besides Messi, he didn’t mention Pelé or Maradona either. It’s clear he’s not a hardcore football fan," another fan remarked, adding that Alcaraz likely resonates more with Ronaldo, given his ties to Real Madrid.
Alcaraz, a well-known Real Madrid supporter, is thought to have chosen Ronaldo because of the Portuguese star’s iconic career at the Bernabeu. Interestingly, he still included two Brazilian legends, Ronaldinho and Neymar, who are both former Barcelona stars.
After an early exit at the Miami Open, Alcaraz is shifting focus to the clay court season. But amid his preparations, the Spaniard also addressed controversy off the court, clarifying his stance on the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) lawsuit against the ATP.
Alcaraz told ESPN that he does not support the PTPA’s legal action accusing the ATP of corruption and monopolistic practices. He said no one from the PTPA informed him about the lawsuit.
The PTPA claims that most of the world’s top 20 players back their lawsuit, citing Alcaraz in hundreds of pages of legal documents filed across courts in the U.S., U.K., and EU. However, the petition notably lacks signatures from key players, including PTPA co-founder Novak Djokovic.
Carlos Alcaraz picks his favorite footballers in an interview with AS, according to a video shared on social media.
