“Cristiano Ronaldo take note”, “Still ruining careers” – Fans stunned after Lionel Messi puts Peru defenders to shame with incredible dribbling skill
Fans trolled Cristiano Ronaldo after Argentina captain Lionel Messi provided a dribbling masterclass against Peru that left social media stunned. Messi scored a brace during his country's recent 2-0 win in the World Cup qualifiers, but it was his dribbling quality that got fans talking.
Situated perilously close to the touchline, Messi took on not one, but two defenders, in what resembled a dance. The Argentine wizard was almost toying with the first defender, swinging the ball from left to right and effectively knocking the opponent off his feet.
The second defender charged forward, only to be easily sidestepped by Messi, who elegantly left the duo behind and continued his run into the final third. Social media erupted in awe as clips of the spellbinding dribble started circulating online.
Fans took to Twitter to share their reactions, with one calling out Cristiano Ronaldo, telling the Portuguese legend:
"Cristiano Ronaldo take note"
Another fan was mesmerized at Lionel Messi's dribbling ability even at the age of 36:
"36 years old and still ruining careers that easy"
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes Richest, but Lionel Messi set to win Ballon d'Or
Cristiano Ronaldo recently made the headlines, not for his on-pitch exploits, but for his financial prowess. The Portuguese ace, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has been declared the highest-earning footballer of 2023 by Forbes (via ESPN).
Ronaldo is said to have projected total earnings that sky-rocket to a staggering $260 million in 2023. The massive contract he signed with Al-Nassr reportedly contributes $200 million, while his robust portfolio of endorsements chips in another $60 million annually.
Lionel Messi is not that far behind. The Argentine legend is hot on Ronaldo's heels with an estimated total of $135 million, marking his spot in second place on the list. However, when it comes to the Ballon d'Or, Messi has once again left his Portuguese counterpart in the rearview mirror.
According to SPORT, the Argentine legend is set to be the winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or, which would be his eighth. This victory comes on the back of Messi's inspirational performance that propelled Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar 2022.
While Ronaldo's current tally of five Ballon d'Or awards is nothing to scoff at, it still leaves him trailing in the wake of Messi's extraordinary success. The Argentine already has seven, and if he wins this year, he will have three more than Cristiano Ronaldo.