Ronaldo

WAYNE ROONEY labelled Lionel Messi a "joke" and the greatest player ever as he told why he rates the Argentina hero above Cristiano Ronaldo.Rooney say.

"There is just such joy watching his games. "It takes so much to deal with him that it’s tiring. "Being his opponent is a difficult place to be. If he has the ball at his feet, he determines everything, your decision-making included. He is always in control. [Xavi](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/xavi/) and [Andres Iniesta](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/andres-iniesta/) were the same. He has what Diego Maradona had in terms of the ability to go past players and execute the full range of skills — pass, shoot, cross — and everything in terms of vision." "When you get close, those players have this low centre of gravity and balance which, added to their close control, means there is no getting to the ball. [Rooney ](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/wayne-rooney/)says "nothing has changed" since he called [Messi](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20793611/lionel-messi-earn-per-week-wages-money/) the best in 2012 and would "love" to have played in [Barcelona](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1232720/barcelona/)'s side of a decade ago. "There are times you can tackle him, like when he is dribbling directly at you, but usually you’re just not going to dispossess him." [England](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1196702/england/) skipper wrote in [The Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lionel-messi-has-an-extra-edge-i-never-got-near-him-88xggsc36?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1671304906): "I have the greatest respect for Cristiano and, when people argue he is the greatest, I know where they are coming from and respect that opinion. WAYNE ROONEY labelled Lionel Messi a "joke" and the greatest player ever as he told why he rates the Argentina hero above Cristiano Ronaldo.

WWE superstar Apollo Crews warns Cristiano Ronaldo against wrestling career after World Cup disappointment and Manchester United exit.

‘The names I can think off the top – you’ve got Ali, Ricochet, Austin Theory, Cedric Alexander, Chad Gable. As long as he gets to play the game, I guess it’s good. It’s tough to see that, the way it’s going. ‘The amount of talent we have between Raw, SmackDown and NXT is just insane. ‘It’s crazy, it’s not the way you wanna see a player, ’cause he’s 37, 38? ‘He’s not gonna go to Saudi Arabia for two years and all of a sudden have a reviving of the career to come back. [Metro Showbiz on Snapchat](https://story.snapchat.com/p/16289297-eb61-4990-9aab-45ce173b8058/). ‘When you start the physical part, that’s a different story though, for most people. [WWE star Apollo Crews was overwhelmed after taking on The Undertaker’s legacy in Casket Match](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/14/wwe-apollo-crews-overwhelmed-after-taking-on-the-undertaker-legacy-17936589/?ico=more_text_links) So, it’s unfortunate.’ [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://metro.co.uk/tag/cristiano-ronaldo/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P1_LNK1) is no doubt still reeling after a disappointing time at the 2022 [World Cup](https://metro.co.uk/tag/world-cup/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P1_LNK2) and with everyone wondering about his next move, he’s been warned against a sensational switch to [WWE](https://metro.co.uk/tag/wwe). [Manchester United](https://metro.co.uk/tag/manchester-united-fc/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P2_LNK1) under a dark cloud after [his controversial interview with Piers Morgan](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/07/erik-ten-hag-breaks-silence-on-cristiano-ronaldos-manchester-united-exit-17893421/), and it’s unclear where the five-time Ballan d’Or winner will go next.

Cristiano Ronaldo only scored one goal for Portugal at the World Cup following his exit from Manchester United last month.

[Ronaldo's](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/cristiano-ronaldo) fifth and most likely final World Cup of the 37-year-old's footballing career. He has damaged the team and himself with his ego trip. The former Barcelona star was only out-scored by Kylian Mbappe, with the Frenchman notching a hat-trick during Sunday's thrilling final. Somehow I feel sorry for Ronaldo.” I can’t imagine him finding another club. [BILD](https://sportbild.bild.de/bild-plus/fussball/wm-2022/fifa-wm-2022/lothar-matthaeus-er-ist-fuer-mich-der-groesste-flop-der-wm-82288488,view=conversionToLogin.sport.html) : “Cristiano Ronaldo is of course the big flop of this World Cup, the opposite of Messi.

Lothar Matthaus doesn't need much to come down hard on anyone. The former captain of the German national team often comes out with harsh criticisms, ...

And he did it for 17-18 years. Cristiano was a substitute in the last two matches In a way, Ronaldo makes me feel sorry for him."

Cristiano Ronaldo has been slammed after being "the big flop" at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as Portugal exited the competition in the quarter-finals.

Or was it absolutely both at the same time?](https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-world-cup-good-or-world-cup-bad-or-was-it-both-at-the-same-time) He has damaged the team and himself with his ego trip,” “Him and Marcus Rashford. We can cope and hopefully give him time to get back to his best. You always want to see new faces. “It is problematic but we have a good squad.

Lothar Matthaus has issued a damning assessment of Cristiano Ronaldo following the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar.

"[Messi is] the absolute winner. "For me, Messi is the player of the millennium." I kind of feel sorry for Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Manchester United was the bombshell which hit the club before the World Cup.

He said: “It was too bad Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in the way he did. Valencia ended up being a model professional who went on to captain the club, converting to right-back. He is currently a free agent. This was the second time Cristiano Ronaldo had left Old Trafford. [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://www.unitedinfocus.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo/)‘s departure from Manchester United was the bombshell which hit the club before the World Cup. Antonio Valencia bemoans the way Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United

The 61-year-old Matthaus who has played in 5 world cups also took potshots against Germany's football team in the world cup. Particularly, the management.

I hope he performs on the pitch and I believe he will. Cristiano Ronaldo had this attitude 10 years ago, but the following game he would score a hat trick, and he was 27 – everyone would forgive him. “Ronaldo is of course a big failure of the World Cup, the opposite of Messi. “He has to do his talking on the pitch. That contributed to the disaster”, he said. “With his ego trips, Ronaldo has damaged the team and himself.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised for his performances at World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi has been described as "the player of the millennium."

For me, Messi is the player of the millennium." [cemented his legacy as the greatest player of all time](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/goat-debate-over-winners-losers-messi-argentina-mbappe-france-greatest-world-cup-final-ever/blt3c805d9a1697ff6c) by winning the one trophy that had eluded him in his phenomenal career so far in Qatar. "Ronaldo is of course a big failure of the World Cup, the opposite of Messi. However, there was disappointment for Ronaldo, who was benched in the knockout stages as Portugal went out to Morocco. Germany legend Lothar Matthaus has shared his thoughts on superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at World Cup 2022. Messi captained Argentina to success,

Messi took to Instagram after playing a key part in Argentina's victory over France in the World Cup final. Messi uploaded a post including ten images of ...

Messi accompanied the post with a caption that read: 'WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. [Sunday's World Cup final](/sport/football/article-11551797/World-Cup-Lionel-Messi-guides-Argentina-victory-France-thrilling-final.html) has now raced past it. Lionel Messi's picture of him lifting the World Cup trophy has become the most-liked Instagram image of all-time - overtaking an image of an egg Ronaldo got 32.6 million likes in October 2021 for the announcement that his partner Georgina Rodriguez was pregnant, while Messi's post of his advert with Ronaldo got 32.2 million likes. It surpassed Ronaldo's post from last month - an advert for Louis Vuitton ahead of the World Cup in which The Portuguese star leads the way in terms of followers with Messi a clear distance behind in second - the two are the only athletes inside the top 10. [Lionel Messi](/sport/lionelmessi/index.html)'s Argentina world champions post has become the most liked picture in the history of Instagram - overtaking an image of an egg. [In the aftermath of Argentina's thrilling penalty shootout win over France](/sport/football/article-11551797/World-Cup-Lionel-Messi-guides-Argentina-victory-France-thrilling-final.html), the PSG star took to Instagram to post 10 pictures of the celebrations in Qatar. That post got 56.1million likes but Messi's image of him lifting aloft the World Cup after Argentina beat France in - The 2019 post of an egg by Chris Godfrey aimed to rack up the most likes - It surged past the previous record of 56.1 million 'likes' set by an image of an egg

COMMENT: Lionel Messi must heed the warning he has been given by Cristiano Ronaldo after Argentina's World Cup victory.

It was the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines and we did it! While that does not undo all the great things Ronaldo has done for his country, the final image of him at a World Cup was a sad one. He has scored 98 goals for his country during his incredible career so there is an obvious target to reach for there. “We need to save him a spot for the World Cup 2026,” said Scaloni. As a full stop to an international career that is impossible to top. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni made a point of leaving the door open for Messi to keep going until 2026 in North America.

Lionel Messi has broken Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the most-liked Instagram post by a sportsperson, eclipsing his rival on and off the pitch.

The celebratory post received more than 46 million likes, setting a new record for a post by an athlete. Almost 18 months ago, Messi broke Ronaldo's previous record when his post Messi took to Instagram to revel in the World Cup win with Argentina on Sunday.

Argentina and Lionel Messi are celebrating their World Cup triumph after beating France in the final, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal were knocked out in ...

Ronaldo isn’t so sure having previously suggested a World Cup win for either wouldn’t be the defining point in the age-old discussion. But obviously a World Cup on the shelf wouldn’t be bad. He will never admit to it, but there must have been more than a tinge of envy from Ronaldo, who a week previous, left the World Cup stage in tears. At 35 and 37 respectively, it feels inevitable that the World Cup in [Qatar](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/qatar) will be the great rivals’ last. The tournament’s defining image will be of Messi finally realising his international ambition, and in doing so completing football’s ‘Grand Slam’. Last minute you score a third for your hat-trick…is that the dream?”

Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised for his performances at World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi has been described as "the player of the millennium."

For me, Messi is the player of the millennium." [cemented his legacy as the greatest player of all time](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/goat-debate-over-winners-losers-messi-argentina-mbappe-france-greatest-world-cup-final-ever/blt3c805d9a1697ff6c) by winning the one trophy that had eluded him in his phenomenal career so far in Qatar. "Ronaldo is of course a big failure of the World Cup, the opposite of Messi. However, there was disappointment for Ronaldo, who was benched in the knockout stages as Portugal went out to Morocco. Germany legend Lothar Matthaus has shared his thoughts on superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at World Cup 2022. Messi captained Argentina to success,