Cristiano Ronaldo has downplayed Lionel Messi’s achievement in captaining Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022 by pointing out the South American nation also won it before he came along.
Messi was a central figure in Qatar three years ago with a series of brilliant displays, including two goals in the penalty shoot-out win over France in the final.
To many observers, his achievement settled the age-old debate over whether Messi or Ronaldo has been the better player over the past 20 years.
But Portugal striker Ronaldo, who plays his club football for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, says it was no surprise Argentina won it, given they also triumphed in 1978 and 1986.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, he said: “How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? I don’t know, two times? It’s normal. These countries, they’re used to winning big competitions.
“Brazil, if they win the World Cup, they will surprise the world? No. If Portugal win the World Cup, which is possible, they will shock the world? Yes.”
Winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement – Messi
In the first segment of the interview, released earlier in the week, Ronaldo dismissed the notion that it was a dream to win the World Cup and that a player’s career could be defined by “six or seven games”.
But, speaking at the America Business Forum in Florida, Inter Miami star Messi responded by saying: “The truth is that explaining the feelings of that moment is difficult. It’s hard to put into words what that title meant, on a personal level, on a family level, for my team-mates, and for the country. It was clear how the country celebrated, the need and the desire we had for it to happen again after so much time had passed.
“For me it was special. First, because for a player, winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement. It’s like anyone in their job, any professional reaching the top. There’s nothing more after the World Cup. You can’t ask for anything more.
“And on top of that, I had been lucky enough to have achieved everything before. At the club level, at the individual level. We had also won the Copa América with the national team. That was the missing piece. It was like closing out my entire career with that trophy.”
