“This guy’s football throws any rivalry into the corner” – Ronaldo Nazario congratulates Lionel Messi for a ‘worthy’ farewell after FIFA World Cup win
Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario lauded Lionel Messi after he led Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup trophy at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Sunday, December 18.
Messi, a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, shone on the biggest stage as he scored twice in 120 minutes for his side. While the game ended 3-3 after extra time, La Albiceleste held their nerves in the penalty shootout to win the FIFA World Cup trophy.
Following an enthralling final, Ronaldo shared a message on his Twitter account. The Brazilian legend claimed that La Pulga has even made his rivals support him, as he wrote:
"This guy's football throws any rivalry to the corner. I saw a lot of Brazilians - and people from all over the world - rooting for Messi in this electrifying final. A farewell worthy of the genius who, far beyond being a World Cup star, captained an era. Congratulations Messi!"
O futebol deste cara joga pra escanteio qualquer rivalidade. Vi muito brasileiro - e gente do mundo inteiro - torcendo pelo Messi nesta final eletrizante. Uma despedida à altura do gênio que, muito além de craque da Copa, capitaneou uma era.
Parabéns, Messi! https://t.co/djwuKJzexa
Messi has now won every trophy he has been eligible for at club and international level. He has also become the first player to win the Golden Ball twice at the FIFA World Cup.
Messi had won the award in the 2014 edition too, where Argentina lost in the final against Germany.
He missed out on the Golden Boot by just one goal as his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate Kylian Mbappe secured the award. Mbappe scored a brilliant hat-trick in the final and ended the tournament with eight goals.
Many believe Lionel Messi has ended the GOAT debate with Cristiano Ronaldo after FIFA World Cup triumph
The duo have been competing on the biggest stages of football for more than a decade now.
While the Argentine has won seven Ballons d'Or awards, Cristiano Ronaldo has won five of them. They have scored a ridiculous number of goals between them and have won numerous trophies for club and country.
However, Argentina's FIFA World Cup triumph on Sunday has cemented Messi's status as the GOAT for many fans, pundits, and even sportspeople.
Messi had a phenomenal tournament where he scored at least one goal in each knockout round. Along with his seven goals, the PSG playmaker also provided three assists.
He led Argentina from the front following their shock 1-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening game, taking them all the way in his final appearance in the tournament.
#Messi𓃵For those who know football know that tonights result didn’t determine whether Messi was the best player ever or not. But yet I’m so happy he did for the people who thought he needed it so now there’s no debate. 🐐 #Messi𓃵
Ronaldo, meanwhile, couldn't mark his final FIFA World Cup appearance in a similar fashion. He scored just one goal in Portugal's opening game against Ghana and was benched in their knockout games. They were eventually knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals by Morocco.
While for some the debate still continues, many have already deemed Messi the undisputed GOAT over Ronaldo.