Cristiano Ronaldo exploded in an unprecedented rage after the prestigious sports newspaper Marca announced the decision to award the title of “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) to Lionel Messi. In an interview shortly after the event, Ronaldo openly criticized Marca for the decision which he considered unfair and disrespectful to his career and contributions to world football.
Ronaldo believes that Marca’s honoring of Messi without mentioning his illustrious achievements is unfair and even an insult to the efforts he has put in over two decades. “I feel disrespected. What I have achieved throughout my career, from the Premier League, La Liga to Serie A, along with hundreds of goals in different arenas, should not be considered enough to compete with Messi?” Ronaldo said with indignation in his voice.
He went on to point out that, while Messi has mostly played for one club, he has won major tournaments in three different countries and has helped Portugal win major titles such as Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League. “Messi is a great player, but if we talk about the whole picture and what I have achieved in different competitions, I don’t think Marca’s decision is fair. They have ignored my efforts and disregarded what I have done for football,” Ronaldo said.
The Portuguese also did not hesitate to mention that Marca may be biased towards Messi due to the newspaper’s close ties to La Liga, where Messi has played for the majority of his career. “It’s hard to believe that there’s no bias here. I played for Real Madrid and did great things in Spain, but it seems like my departure has made them forget me. If I were still playing in La Liga, would Marca have overlooked me so easily?” Ronaldo asked suggestively.
Ronaldo also raised the issue of how individual awards in football are often influenced by media and reputation factors. “The reality is that in modern football, who is the best is sometimes not only decided by performance on the pitch, but also by the influence of the media. They can lift one person up or knock another down in the blink of an eye. That’s something I’ve had to deal with throughout my career,” Ronaldo shared.
Ronaldo’s reaction quickly went viral and attracted the attention of fans around the world. The debate over who truly deserves the title of “GOAT” has once again flared up in the football fan community. While some Ronaldo fans agree with him and believe that what CR7 has achieved in his career should not be overlooked, Messi supporters argue that the title is completely deserved after Messi led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title – something Ronaldo has never achieved.
Marca previously explained the decision to award Messi the title of “GOAT” based on his impressive statistics, including winning 7 Ballon d’Or and 3 Champions League titles, along with the greatest achievement of helping Argentina win the World Cup. They believe that these achievements are enough to put Messi in the highest position in football history. However, Ronaldo believes that we should not only look at the numbers, but also evaluate the whole career journey and perseverance in many different football environments. “I have proven that I can shine anywhere, from Manchester to Madrid, from Turin to Saudi Arabia. That’s not something that everyone can do,” he emphasized.
Reactions from experts are equally varied. Some analysts believe that Ronaldo has the right to be upset because his contributions and achievements are extremely impressive. However, others believe that his criticism is just a personal reaction to Messi’s increasing recognition in the football community.
Despite the controversy and mixed reactions, Ronaldo’s strong voice on this issue has once again fueled the endless war between the two legends. The debate over who is the “GOAT” really shows no signs of abating, and perhaps it is this endless competition that makes both Ronaldo and Messi special in the hearts of fans.
Regardless, Ronaldo’s anger at Marca’s decision is a testament to his intense pride and unending desire to win. With what he has achieved in his career, Ronaldo has reason to feel he deserves more and does not want to be below anyone. Will this reaction make other organizations reconsider how they award awards? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain, the debate between Ronaldo and Messi will continue to be a hot topic in football and will last forever.
