Cristiano Ronaldo Miffed By Lionel Messi Question After Brace Cuts Off Comparison And Reacts To Facing Argentina
Hindustan Times
Cristiano Ronaldo had no interest in fuelling comparisons with Lionel Messi after his match-winning brace for Portugal against Uzbekistan.
The 41-year-old ended his goal drought in emphatic fashion, silencing critics who had questioned whether he still deserved a starting role at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The pressure had intensified after Ronaldo failed to score against DR Congo, while Messi began the tournament with a hat-trick and followed it up with another two-goal display. With the spotlight firmly on him ahead of the Uzbekistan clash, Portugal's captain responded in the only way he knows - by finding the back of the net. Ronaldo's two goals not only eased the pressure but also reminded everyone that writing him off remains a risky decision.
However, when a reporter brought up Messi during the post-match interaction, Ronaldo cut the question short and made it clear he had no interest in discussing the comparison.
"Yesterday," a reporter began asking in the post-game mixed zone, "Lionel Messi scored two goals, [Kylian] Mbappe..." but Ronaldo spun his head to the other side and said, "Vale (Go on)," to take another question from a different reporter.
Meanwhile, when asked about the possibility of facing Messi and Argentina later in the World Cup, Ronaldo was again far from enthusiastic about the comparison. The Portugal captain dismissed the question before shifting the focus back to his team's performance and their progress in the tournament.
The question doesn’t make a lot of sense… but ok. It would be TOP, But my focus was on today. We won, I have been able to score, we keep going together. I am happy," Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo was visibly charged up after Portugal's emphatic World Cup victory on Tuesday. As the final whistle blew, he turned towards the television camera and delivered a clear message: “I’m back. I’m back.”
The Portugal captain backed up those words with a record-breaking performance, scoring twice in the 5-0 win over Uzbekistan to become the first player to find the net in six different World Cup tournaments. Ronaldo was named man of the match for his performance, the latest of many in his incredible career. It was the perfect response after his quiet outing in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo, silencing the growing doubts around him.