Ronaldo: Football without fans like going to a circus without clowns

The Juventus star misses playing in front of a crowd and found an unusual analogy to explain their importance

Cristiano Ronaldo compared football without fans going to a circus and not seeing clowns after he scored both goals in Portugal's 2-0 win over Sweden on Tuesday night. 

It was a milestone night for the attacker, who surpassed 100 international goals in the Nations League encounter and helped guide Portugal to a comfortable victory. 

However, the match in Stockholm was played without fans as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and Ronaldo revealed afterward just how much he misses interacting with fans. 

"There is no need to regret; when I do something, I like to be whistled because it gives me chills. But health comes first. If the WHO says that these aren't safe conditions, that's it. The most important thing is the human being," Ronaldo told RTP post-match.

"Playing without fans is like going to the circus and not seeing clowns, it's like going to the garden and not seeing flowers."

Ronaldo, who scored in either half against Sweden, returned to Portugal's side after sitting out of their recent 4-1 win against Croatia with a toe infection. 

Prior to the match on Tuesday, there was some speculation whether Portugal was ready to perform without Ronaldo, but the 36-year-old confidently brushed off those suggestions post-game.