Poland captain Piotr Zielinski has bit back at critics after taking a photo with Cristiano Ronaldo – on the back of a 5-1 shredding by Portugal.
The forward and team-mate Nicola Zalewski got snaps with Ronaldo in Porto on Friday night, despite the result threatening Poland with Nations League relegation.
Ronaldo had bagged two goals of his own in the riot and left Poland in turmoil with five defeats in eight games ahead of their crunch clash with Scotland on Monday night.
Former Poland skipper Jacek Bak accused Zielinski and Zalewski of having ‘no honour’ for smiling alongside a man who ‘f****d us’ on the same night.
But Zielinski hit back: ‘Nicola and I approached him, asked for a photo and took it. Neither Cristiano nor we had a problem with it, that’s all.
Poland captain Piotr Zielinski (left) has defended having this picture with Cristiano Ronaldo
Zielinski was slammed for having ‘no honour’ after Poland were hammered 5-1 by Portugal
Ronaldo struck twice as Portugal compounded Poland’s recent miseries since Euro 2024
‘I am not interested in what’s going on in social media. For me, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the top players in the history of football. I felt like taking a picture and I did. That’s it. Why is it unbecoming?’
The Inter Milan star added: ‘We lost the match but what should I do? Hide in a corner? I went up to him and asked him for a picture and that’s it. That’s what I felt like doing. He (Bak) has the right to have his own opinion. But I don’t think there was anything wrong with it.’
Bak, 51, had been cutting in his criticism and appeared to demand consequences for Zielinski, who has 98 caps, and 26-time international Zalewski.
‘It’s not my thing. Times used to be different. We get 5-1 [defeat] and I have to ask Ronaldo for a picture? The guy who f***ed us a moment earlier?
‘Do we really have no honour in us? Today, social media is the most important thing and the first one to post a picture with Ronaldo is better? That’s not the way to go.
‘Let’s say it strongly: coach [Michal] Probierz should react. All that was missing was for him to take a picture with Ronaldo, or maybe swap jackets with Roberto Martinez.
‘I guess I’m not cut out for these times. It’s sad. I guess I’m cut from a different cloth. Today’s world is unfortunately like that.’
Bak is not a nobody in Polish football – he accumulated 96 caps for the national team between 1993 and 2008, which places him 10th in their all-time rankings.
Former Poland captain Jacek Bak felt ‘social media was the most important thing’ to Zielinski
Midfielder Nicola Zalewski also copped flak for having a photo with Ronaldo after the mauling
Portugal have already won Nations League A Group 1 after winning four of their five matches
Zielinski is highly respected himself, having won the Serie A title with Napoli in 2022-23 and been crowned Polish footballer of the year in 2023.
He has scored four goals for Poland this year and they will be hoping he can produce a special moment against Scotland, with whom they are tied on points at the bottom of Nations League A Group 1.
If Poland draw they will at least avoid automatic relegation and condemn Scotland to the second tier.
And Poland boss Probierz was quick to brush defend Zielinski and Zalewski and stay focused.
‘I always tell the players, if you have a problem, if you feel like doing something before the match, take a picture before the match,’ he said.
‘The 90 minutes are of key importance. This time we failed, but we know what to do, how to play, how to work. Every player is a human being. We sometimes forget about that. These are people living their lives and they are young people.’
