Fans have compared Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi following the Manchester United forward's anonymous performance for Portugal against the Czech Republic in the UEFA Nations League on June 9.
First-half strikes from Joao Cancelo and Gancalo Guedes gifted the Portuguese a 2-0 victory over the Czechs in Lisbon. Fernando Santos' side made it seven points from nine to begin their Nations League campaign.
The Euro 2016 winners continued their good form ahead of the Qatar World Cup later this year. They were well short in both the 2018 tournament, as well as the European Championships last summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for his side's 1-1 draw with Spain in their opening game of the summer. He scored twice in four minutes against Switzerland three days later as Portugal ran out 4-0 winners.
However, following an ineffectual display against the Czech, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was slammed online for his performance. He was also booked after 52 minutes.
Supporters took to Twitter to voice their frustration over the 37-year-old forward's performance:
Supporters once again compare Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi following international displays
In contrast to Ronaldo's quiet performance, Messi enjoyed an incredibly successful end-of-season international break with Argentina. His side secured a thumping 3-0 victory over Italy in La Finalissima at Wembley, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward dictating much of the play.
Messi followed up his outstanding display against the European champions by scoring all five of Albiceleste's goals as they thrashed Estonia.
The Qatar tournament later this year is almost certainly the iconic duo's final World Cup, the one major honor that has eluded both of them throughout their historic careers.
Both have played in international football's biggest tournament four times previously, with neither setting the world alight at any point during those competitions.
Messi has so far come closest to winning the competition as he guided the South American giants to the final in 2014 while in Brazil, but they ultimately lost 1-0 to Germany in the final. He did manage to win the Golden Ball that edition.
SserunjojiJohnjovan
501
The greatest of all football nation ❤❤
SubhamMajumder
433
you is the jackass is a man with one foot complete you illiterate go and look in a dictionary and see what complete means a footballer who can use both feet for passing dribbling and shooting and can head a football is what is a complete player cause those thing I mentioned are all the things you do in the game alot of you like you went to school in July to August or was sleeping in class this app should start giving IQ test alot of you wouldn't be able to comment for sure even I cricket a player is judged as complete if he can bat bowl and field those three disciplines make you an all rounder that's why sir Gary sobers is know as the greatest cricketer off all time know you facts be commenting nonsense in tennis you play on 3 surfaces and if you win on all 3 that make you a complete player in the game that's why Nadal is considered to be being the greatest in the game today
you just described a Complete striker. Sure he has a more dominant weak foot and is tall but still Messi has a better goal to game ratio. Also Messi has more Goal+Assist than Ronaldo playing 150 odd games less. Ronaldo is a Complete striker but as an overall footballer Messi is way better. Also in goal scoring Messi comes first also in terms of Goals to game ratio as I said before.
JoyNg
384
Numbers don't lie👌🔥🔥 Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time, if you don't believe it your children and Grand children will never stop believing it👌👌 The media can lie for a while but at the end truth will always prevail.✔✔👑 We all football user already know the true Goat and the pretender😂😂😂 CR7 is just the only one GOAT🐐💜💜⚽
Tommyshmurda080
334
Here we go again, tears and rants till they get tired‼️‼️‼️ all football will surely sell this article
AnwarJemil
132
messi is only messi...no one will play like him ever....
Ciedenrz
100
you can compare CR7 to Messi but not vice versa, Messi is Messi the complete player of all time. the most talented player of his generation,
gunner_for_life_mki
47
Some say he is the greatest.... and statistically he is the greatest
Kosbckmr
35
Lionel Messi will win the Man Of The Match award even without scoring a single goal despite his team wining 3-0. But just remove goals from Ronaldo's performance and you will be Left with -1🤣🤣🤣
JoeRock
8
The only thing Messi better than Ronaldo is about finding a better wife, that's all..