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In an interview during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit took his pick between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman said that Messi was one of football’s best-ever players but did not possess the leadership traits Ronaldo did.
Messi endured a difficult run at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, scoring only one goal in four games as Argentina were eliminated by eventual champions France in the Round of 16. He infamously missed a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Iceland, which caused them to be pitted against Les Bleus.
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Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, scored a hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw with Spain and scored the winner in the 1-0 victory over Morocco. His country were also eliminated in the Round of 16 (2-1 defeat to Uruguay), but, individually, Ronaldo had a better campaign than Messi.
After two group games, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Petit gave his two cents in the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo debate, telling Paddy Power:
“He's (Lionel Messi) not a leader. He's no Ronaldo in that regard. Messi is one of the best players ever, but he needs to show that mentality. He needs to wake up! When things go well with Barcelona, he's a terrific player. We've seen it in the Champions League, though, when things don't go well, he can disappear on the pitch. He's not there anymore. He's not running; he's walking. He's not concerned about the ball. Come on."
Messi, of course, has proven his mettle since then, leading from the front to take Argentina to glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He ended the tournament with seven goals and three assists in seven games, winning the Golden Ball for his exploits. The Argentine is the only player to win the coveted accolade twice.
William Carvalho insists Cristiano Ronaldo never threatened to leave Portugal's squad
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Fernando Santos made the bold call of benching Ronaldo in both of Portugal's knockout games. Ronaldo’s sisters and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez slammed then-coach Portugal boss for keeping the country’s record goalscorer on the bench, claiming that it was disrespectful.
Multiple reports claimed that Ronaldo had threatened to leave the squad, which caused Portugal’s football federation to issue an official statement refuting the claims.
Ronaldo’s compatriot Wiliam Carvalho has shed light on what went down in Qatar before Portugal's defeat to Morocco in the quarterfinals. He said that Ronaldo never threatened to leave the Portugal team and was always with them.
“It was a complicated situation. He was already having problems with Manchester United. He started playing in the national team, but then there was a game in which the manager didn’t put him on, and it’s normal for Cristiano to have been upset,” Carvalho said (via Indian Express).
He continued:
“Cristiano Ronaldo was upset at having gone to the bench, but he was always with the team. Even though he wasn’t playing, he always helped us.”
Ronaldo, who will be 41 by the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes around, is yet to score a knockout goal in the tournament.
