It may have seemed inevitable, given how closely their careers have been intertwined, but the urge to compare the two icons is simply irresistible. While Lionel Messi receives thunderous applause in Argentina during his farewell match, his long‑time rival Cristiano Ronaldo appears to be watching his own Portugal career unravel in a storm of controversy.
For Messi’s supporters, the contrast seems to sum up everything about the two legends. For the more vocal Ronaldo faithful, it looks like a star being denied the recognition he deserves after giving so much to his nation. Why should a player of his stature be denied the respect that should accompany his achievements? Ronaldo began Portugal’s narrow victory over Wales on the bench and did not find the net.
When the next fixture against Norway arrived, the coach, Jorge Jesus, left him out of the starting eleven. Frustrated by not being called on, Ronaldo left the training camp early. Portugal still managed to win that match, and Jesus has since overseen two more victories without the Portuguese talisman. After the game, Jesus was unapologetic: "I am not apologising to anyone.
If I need you for 30 minutes, you will play. If I don’t need you, you won’t play.
No player will ever change my ideas as a coach – not him, not any president, no one." His words were far from conciliatory. Ronaldo responded with a cryptic statement: "In due course, I will tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure." He hinted that there was a deeper justification for his actions, leaving the door ajar for a possible reconciliation, but it remains unclear whether he will walk through it. Both men had previously worked together at Al Nassr without any hint of the current rupture. Their personalities, however, seem destined for conflict.
Jesus, known for his blunt, uncompromising style, was never the type to indulge the sycophancy that plagued his predecessor. When faced with a Nations League clash against Erling Haaland’s Norway, Jesus prioritized the tactical situation over the spectacle of a superstar warming the bench.
That decision sparked a firestorm. The exact sequence of events was hard to predict, yet there is a lingering sense that this fallout was always looming. Ronaldo, now 41, is battling a war he cannot win – not against the Portuguese football hierarchy, but against the relentless march of time. He is two years older than Messi, past the age when legends like Pelé were still starring in movies and Diego Maradona was watching Boca Juniors victories from his balcony.
Johan Cruyff was coaching Barcelona at 41, not playing for them. In this context, merely staying on the pitch is a commendable feat for Ronaldo. Nevertheless, the veteran striker seems unable to accept that younger talent might deserve minutes.
Gonçalo Ramos, a recent £60 million acquisition by AC Milan, could arguably merit playing time over the aging icon. Every decision Ronaldo makes is scrutinized; any perceived slight is magnified. His supporters will argue that this fierce self‑belief is part of what made him great, and there is certainly truth to that.
Scaling the heights Ronaldo has reached requires an ego and a main‑character aura; without those, such a career would be impossible. Yet the very trait that propelled him to the summit now threatens to bring him down. Convincing Portugal’s football giant to become a squad player proves to be a formidable challenge. Ronaldo has spent his life chasing excellence, not sitting on the bench hoping for a cameo appearance, and certainly not being told he would get a brief 30‑minute cameo against Norway only to have the coach change his mind in Oslo.
Accusations of selfishness have dogged him throughout his career. While his celebrations have sometimes been understated when he wasn’t the focal point, they rarely surfaced when his personal brilliance directly lifted the team. The real problem emerges when what benefits Ronaldo clashes with what benefits Portugal. Under former managers Fernando Santos and Roberto Martínez, hints of this tension were already evident.
Now it falls to Jesus to navigate the inevitable clash. It may not be the final chapter.
Jesus himself has suggested that a resolution is possible. It is hard to imagine a scenario where Ronaldo does not receive a farewell comparable to Messi’s emotional send‑off at the Estadio Monumental before 80,000 fans. One can even dream of Ronaldo netting his 1,000th career goal in a Portugal shirt. Yet while Messi’s exit will be celebrated as a messianic moment, Ronaldo’s eventual goodbye is likely to be fraught with tension, a massive ego needing careful management.
Perhaps this was always the way it would end. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million! Enter for free.