HE WAS ONE of the most vocal critics of Cristiano Ronaldo but now Eamon Dunphy has admitted he was wrong in his views on the Real Madrid star.

Ronaldo bagged his 12th Champions League goal of the season last night in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

And his goalscoring prowess has won over the RTÉ pundit who acknowledged Ronaldo’s greatness when speaking after last night’s game.

“His greatness now for me redeems everything. I used to really dislike him, and think he was a stain on the game almost. A brat, and I don’t like to see a brat.

“But he’s a great. His goals… I was wrong and should have embraced him from the start. Athletically and football-wise, he is a great, great player.

“For all his greatness, and he is undoubtedly one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the game, the petulance and the histrionics don’t endear him to the football lover.

“I don’t think we’ve seen a goalscorer like him in the history of the game, certainly as long as I’ve been looking at it.

It’s all a far cry from the days when Dunphy was scathing in his criticism of the Portuguese player.

All together now… ‘This fella Ronaldo is a cod’.

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