Cristiano Ronaldo‘s documentary generated a strong reaction after the Portuguese star admitted that he felt “relief” when Lionel Messi lost the 2014 World Cup final against Germany in Brazil.
The revelation reignited the historic debate over who was the best footballer of his generation, a discussion that marked more than a decade of head-to-head clashes, individual awards and constant comparisons between the two idols.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the confession
The 2014 FIFA World Cup final ended with a 1-0 extra-time victory for Germany, frustrating Argentina’s dream of lifting their third World Cup title.
In a snippet from the documentary, Ronaldo revealed that he even prayed to the Virgin of Fatima that Messi would not be crowned champion. After the final whistle, he admitted that he experienced a sense of relief to see his great rival fail to win football’s most important trophy.
The worst nightmare: Messi champion in 2022
However, what in 2014 was tranquility for the Portuguese, eight years later became his “worst nightmare”.
On December 18, 2022, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi finally managed to be crowned world champion in Qatar after a historic final against the France national team. Messi scored twice to finish second in the race for the World Cup Golden Boot with seven goals, only surpassed by an Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the final and finished with eight goals
Argentina drew 3-3 and won 4-2 on penalties. That day, Messi, in addition to scoring two goals, did not miss his shot from twelve yards, sealing a triumph that many considered definitive in the debate over the best of the modern era.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: A debate that never ends
Although the world of soccer tends to place the World Cup as the ultimate argument in any historical discussion, the rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi transcends titles.
- Two extraordinary careers.
- Two different styles.
- A competition that marked a generation
And now, a confession that rekindles the eternal comparison.
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