Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed that Lionel Messi’s FIFA World Cup victory with Argentina should not be directly compared to Portugal’s achievements. The Al-Nassr superstar pointed out that Argentina has a history of winning the tournament in the past, which lays a strong foundation for their success.
Ronaldo emphasized that he does not compare national trophies based on past records and highlighted that Portugal had never won a major international title before their UEFA Euro triumph in 2016. While he aspires to win the World Cup with Portugal, Ronaldo stated that not winning it would not change his career or legacy.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, Ronaldo said:
“How many World Cups did Argentina have before Messi? How many? I don’t know. Two times, I think. Yeah, but it’s normal. These countries, they used to win 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. But in my mind, I don’t think in that way. Of course you want to win. Yeah. When you compete, you want to win. I’m honest. For me, I’m not going to change the way I see things and the way I see football.”
Talking about his rivalry with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo added that the World Cup should not be the defining factor of a player’s career:
“To change the history of Portugal by saying ‘to save Cristiano Ronaldo’s career he will need to win the World Cup’ — no, this doesn’t make sense for me. I won three titles for Portugal. Before, Portugal never won anything. I’m glad. I’m so happy, but it shouldn’t define you as a player. If I’m one of the best in history, the decision shouldn’t be based on winning one competition — six games, seven games. You think it’s fair? It’s not fair.”
Currently, Ronaldo’s Portugal are close to sealing their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having won three matches and drawn once in their opening four qualifiers. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s Argentina have already secured their place at next summer’s tournament.
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### Lionel Messi Hits Back at Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Comments
Lionel Messi has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarks, expressing that he disagrees with Ronaldo’s downplaying of the FIFA World Cup. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Florida, the Argentine hailed the World Cup victory as the ultimate achievement of his career.
“It’s hard to put into words what that title meant — on a personal level, on a family level, for my teammates, and for the country,” Messi said. “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.”
He added:
“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.”
“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.”
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### Summary
– Lionel Messi won the FIFA World Cup in 2022 with Argentina.
– Cristiano Ronaldo’s best World Cup finish remains a semifinal appearance in 2004 with Portugal.
– Ronaldo believes that individual legacies should not be defined solely by World Cup success.
– Messi considers the World Cup victory the pinnacle of a footballer’s career.
Both players continue to make history in their own right as they prepare for the next stages of their international careers.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-will-shock-world-cristiano-ronaldo-explains-lionel-messi-winning-world-cup-compared-portugal-trophies-used-goat-debates
