Cristiano Ronaldo is “an enormous failure of the World Cup” and has “broken his legacy”, former Germany worldwide Lothar Matthaus claims.
Ronaldo has endured a turbulent six weeks at membership and worldwide degree, having been launched from Manchester United previous to the beginning of the match in Qatar following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
After scoring within the opening sport in opposition to Ghana, Ronaldo appeared livid when withdrawn in the course of the last group-stage match in opposition to South Korea and was subsequently dropped to the bench for the next two matches within the knockout stage.
He wouldn’t be missed in opposition to Switzerland, Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick as his substitute, then Ronaldo got here off the bench in a fruitless effort to stave off defeat to Morocco.
With 37-year-old Ronaldo now on the hunt for a brand new membership, German World Cup nice Matthaus has conceded he’s uncertain who will make a transfer for his providers, delivering a damning evaluation of the five-time Ballon D’Or winner.
“Together with his ego journeys, Ronaldo has broken the staff and himself,” Matthaus advised newspaper Bild.
“There isn’t any doubt that he was an awesome participant and a completely deadly finisher. However now he has broken his legacy.
“I discover it arduous to assume that he can discover a place in a staff. I form of really feel sorry for Ronaldo.
1 – Lionel Messi yesterday grew to become the primary ever South American participant to attain in each a World Cup and European Cup/Champions League last. Biggest. pic.twitter.com/5Ylh6WyhWY
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 19, 2022
Whereas Ronaldo and Portugal suffered a quarter-final exit, the fortunes of Lionel Messi and Argentina had been vastly totally different – as they celebrated glory after a dramatic penalty shoot-out triumph in opposition to France in Sunday’s last.
That affirmed Messi because the “participant of the millennium” within the eyes of 1990 World Cup winner Matthaus, who had an additional jibe for Ronaldo.
“Ronaldo is in fact an enormous failure of the World Cup, the other of Messi,” he mentioned.
“[Messi is] absolutely the winner. He deserves it as a result of he has given me and all soccer followers nice pleasure along with his qualities and the way in which he performs over 17-18 years.
“For me, Messi is the participant of the millennium.”