Although they no longer share competition, as was the case during the nine years that Cristiano Ronaldo He played for Real Madrid while Lionel Messi He did it in Barcelona, nor do they compete for the most important individual awards of the year (Ballon d’Or, The Best), there is always some loophole through which the football rivalry that these two already historical figures sustained filters through. Many consider that it was a duel that contributed to the personal improvement of each one. The achievement or dazzling performance of one was followed by the response of the other. In fact, they continue to occupy the first two places as top scorers in the Champions League (Cristiano 141 and Messi 129).
The current situation of both as club players finds them in minor leagues, in the Pro League of Saudi Arabia and MLS of the United States. Even so, they continue to garner personal distinctions. Cristiano has just been awarded as the Best Middle East Player y Top scorer of all time during the Globe Soccer Awards, organized in Dubai. Throughout 2024 he converted 41 goals to Al Nassr for all official competitions, although he did not win any collective title, in tournaments in Saudi Arabia or the Asian continental cups.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal for Al Nassr, where he completed his second year
Cristiano, who completed two years at Al Nassr, was a kind of figurehead to promote Saudi football when he joined at the beginning of 2023, after closing a long career in European clubs. The Portuguese publicly invited other figures to join the Pro League, which he placed at a higher level than Ligue 1 in France.
On the occasion of the Globe Soccer Awards, Cristiano once again attacked the first division tournament in France, where he never played, when comparing it to the most demanding conditions he must face in Saudi Arabia: “The Saudi League is better than Ligue 1. In France there is only PSG, the rest is finished. If you don’t believe me, try running with 39 or 40 degrees and check it out.”
Knowing Cristiano’s position, Ligue 1, through his account on X in Spanish, he responded with irony: “Leo Messi playing with 38 degrees”accompanied by the image of Leo caressing the world cup after the consecration in the Qatar World Cup 2022. In other words, Messi triumphed under the rigorous weather conditions. And it was in a World Cup, not in the Pro League.
During his two years in French football, Messi never felt special protection, neither from Paris Saint Germain nor from the French Football Federation. The distant relationship became more strained after the World Cup final against France, with Kylian Mbappé as a teammate. Six months later he decided to continue his career in Inter Miami. But in this case, the fact that France has chosen Messi to defend itself is related to hitting Cristiano with what hurts him the most: putting him below Leo.
Regarding other issues, Cristiano disagreed with the awarding of the last Ballon d’Or: “Vinicius should have won the Ballon d’Or. Rodrigo deserved it too, but Vinicius won the Champions League, scored in the final… I don’t mind saying it, it was unfair.”
Next February 5 Christian will be 40 years old and he will have six months left on his contract with Al Nassr. He did not give any indication about what his immediate future will be, but he did make clear what he intends for when he retires from football: “I am not a coach, I will never be a coach. I won’t be president either. but maybe i could become a club owner. It will always depend on the moment and the opportunities.”
Portuguese has a special consideration for Manchester United, where his career took off after making his debut in the first division with Sporting Lisbon. Lately he was very critical of the direction taken by the club, whose last golden era was under Alex Fergusonhis coach during his six years at United, until his transfer was bought by Real Madrid for just under 100 million euros.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a special feeling for Manchester United
At the award ceremony, Cristiano left a powerful phrase about the Red Devils: “If I were the owner of Manchester United, I would fix everything. The problem is not just the coach, it is the entire structure. I am still very young, I have many plans and dreams ahead of me. Remember what I say: I will be the owner of a great club.”
For a couple of months, Manchester United has been managed by the Portuguese Reuben Amorim, who are not accompanied by good results. Cristiano expressed about his compatriot: “Amorim did a fantastic job in Portugal with my Sporting. But the Premier League It is different, the most competitive league in the world. I knew it was going to be hard and that the storm would continue. “I hope the best for Manchester United because it is a club I still love.”
2024-12-29 01:40:00