Cristiano Ronaldo cuts interview short in China

Cristiano Ronaldo cut an interview short with a Chinese talk show host on Friday after he was reportedly irked over a question about his retirement.

In China on a two-day visit, the Portuguese soccer star had appeared for a taping of personality Gao Xiaosong’s internet series Morning Call when the supposed friction occurred.

“He was already losing patience, especially when Gao asked him his plans after retirement. Ronaldo said he’s in his prime and it’s too soon to say,” an interpreter present posted Friday on Sina Weibo.

“Then he asked his assistant, ‘can you help me end this early?’ read the post under the account “Putaoyayulaozhao.”

When Gao asked for more time for a final question, Ronaldo’s team wasn’t happy.

“Someone from their camp cursed in frustration. I’m not sure who, but they were all indeed unhappy,” the interpreter wrote, adding the interview was conducted in English. The post has been deleted. Gao refuted some of the claims on Weibo the next day.

While acknowledging the 45-minute interview was cut short by 14 minutes, he said the questions had already been cleared. “We had submitted all our questions to Ronaldo’s team in advance and they didn’t say anything,” Gao wrote.

The host also called the interpreter’s professionalism into question for not protecting the privacy of his clients.

Gao also complained Ronaldo had arrived over an hour late. “We were all starving but didn’t complain – big stars are very busy,” wrote Gao.

The show is scheduled to appear on streaming site Youku July 27, but Gao has suggested to “postpone it because of this irresponsible incident.”

It would not be the first interview Ronaldo ended early over questions he didn’t like.

In 2015, he walked off set of a CNN Español interview following questions about FIFA corruption. In 2016, he similarly left a Real Madrid press conference in Rome over questions about rivals FC Barcelona.