Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to lift a trophy with Al Nasr since joining the Saudi Pro League club two years ago, while Lionel Messi has been prolific with MLS side Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi’s eye-opening comments appear to be harshly critical of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who extended his trophy haul with Al Nasr.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has 36 titles in his trophy cabinet and that number is growing, but he is yet to win a silver medal since arriving in Saudi Arabia in 2023. The former European champions Manchester United and Real Madrid icon are yet to win a (major) title in the Middle East, and the wait looks set to continue after Al Nasr’s disappointing defeat at the Saudi King’s Cup.
Al Nasr lost 2-1 to Al Ittihad, with Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammates Karim Benzema and Houssem Aouar scoring for the away team. Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes, with teammate Angelo Gabriel scoring the home side’s only goal.
read more: “I was one of the five stars that Cristiano Ronaldo hinted at greatness, but things didn’t work out.”read more: Cristiano Ronaldo’s encouragement fails as Al Nasr’s disappointing record continues
Since Ronaldo’s arrival in Riyadh, Al Nasr have played in 13 competitions, including three league matches, four domestic cups, two AFC Champions League appearances and four Super Cups, without winning any. His only silver medal came in the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, which is considered a friendly tournament.
Messi, on the other hand, is having a much more fruitful time in the United States. In fact, in his two years at Inter Miami, he won five trophies, including the League Cup 2023 and the Supporters’ Shield.
In an interview with American broadcaster NBC, he criticized some athletes’ obsession with breaking records. The comment could also be interpreted as criticizing Ronaldo. “Many players get so obsessed with their individual records that they forget the main objective of team success and winning tournaments,” he says.
“In order to break a record, the team must first win.”Messi and Ronaldo are long-time rivals, best known for their clashes with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, the Portugal legend is targeting 1,000 goals for club and country, having scored 950 goals to date. After the heartbreak in the cup match, Ronaldo wrote on Instagram: “We stand tall, learn together and move forward.”
After the defeat, coach Jorge Jesus said: “We won 2 and lost 1 against Al Ittihad. It was our first loss this season and we are not used to it.”
“I tried my best not to lose, but it didn’t work out.”
Al Nasr returned to Saudi Pro League action on Saturday, hosting Al Fayha at Al Awal Park. They are showing signs of revival under a new manager. The team has won six out of six games and currently stands at the top of the league with a maximum of 18 points.
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