Darren Watkins Jr., better known as IShowSpeed, was completely ignored by Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, in a recent incident. Ronaldo, along with his team Al Nassr, is in Japan for pre-season friendlies, where the famous YouTuber set out to attend an open training session fueled by the hope of reuniting with the legend.
Cristiano Ronaldo started his training with a warm-up on an exercise bicycle near the stands where Darren “IShowSpeed” was waiting for him. Watkins tried to start a conversation with the Portuguese by shouting his name along with the word “Suiiii” only to be met with a stale thumbs up from Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Talisca interact with Speed 😂❤️
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) July 27, 2023
Ronaldo appeared uninterested in the interaction, shifting his focus toward his teammates standing beside him. Undeterred, Darren attempted to strike up a conversation with Ronaldo’s teammate Talisca, calling out playful words like “Brazilian” and “telescope.” However, Talisca responded similarly with a smile and a thumbs-up.
The US-based Youtuber continued to entertain the Al-Nassr players, singing a song that sounded like his new track “Portuginies.” The players carried on with their warm-up, laughing together as they exchanged amused glances.
Watkins came into prominence for his rabid fanaticism of Ronaldo and following him everywhere he played. After failures in Manchester, he finally met him in Lisbon, right after Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ronaldo’s cold shoulder meant that he didn’t place the YouTuber any higher than his average fans in the acquaintance list. However, it does not look like that is going to stop the teen from visiting his idol.
Japanese fans impressed Cristiano Ronaldo with their welcome
Al-Nassr is in Japan for a two-game pre-season tour of five days. They held PSG to a goalless draw in their first match in Osaka on Tuesday. The Saudi Pro League club will play a match with Champion League finalist Inter Milan to wrap up the visit.
Good performance against a strong team. Pre-season preparations continue !💪🏼
Fantastic welcome from the fans here in Japan 🇯🇵🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/T9g1jzibp4— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 25, 2023
Excitement rippled through the Japanese soccer fans as they eagerly anticipated witnessing the likes of Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo in action. A staggering crowd of over 14,000 fans gathered in the Yanmar Nagai Stadium in Osaka to witness the exhilarating clash between Al-Nassr and PSG.
Despite ending in a goalless draw, the lackluster draw failed to dampen the spirits of the passionate Japanese fans. They remained undeterred in their unwavering enthusiasm throughout the event.
Cristiano Ronaldo was impressed by the response and welcome that his team had received since his arrival in the Land of the Rising Sun. The Portuguese star shared his thoughts on social media after the match, writing, “Fantastic welcome from the fans in Japan.”
Ronaldo and Co. would be looking to end the pre-season on a high note with a victory over Inter Milan. They will fly back to prepare for the upcoming Saudi Pro League season that will start on August 11.