Wayne Rooney has delivered a scathing assessment of Cristiano Ronaldo's role in the Portugal squad, suggesting the team does not rally around him the way Argentina does with Lionel Messi. Rooney's comments came after Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup round of 16, ending Ronaldo's tournament career.
Rooney's Comparison with Messi
Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United, told the BBC: "You always put Ronaldo and Messi together because they are two of the best players the game has ever seen. But the Argentinian lads seem like they're all there for Messi. They're all behind him. Messi has obviously been fantastic at this World Cup. I don't get that vibe from the Portuguese players."
Ronaldo, 41, started all five of Portugal's matches in North America, scoring three goals, including two in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan and a penalty against Croatia. However, his impact was overshadowed by Messi, who has scored seven goals in four games and leads the Golden Boot race alongside Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Emotional Farewell
Before the Spain match, Ronaldo confirmed this would be his last World Cup, saying: "Let this be my last World Cup; it is my last World Cup, and I hope tomorrow won't be my last match." He had previously refused to confirm the tournament would be his last, given he will be 45 when the 2030 World Cup is co-hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.
In his pre-match press conference, Ronaldo stated: "I will finish when I choose. You always ask the same question: is this the last one? We will see. I don't want to draw attention to this, the most important thing is to play well tomorrow. I'm going to be perfectly honest, regardless of what happens tomorrow, Cristiano is going to be 1,000 per cent leaving with a clear conscience. I have given all I could to football, it's my passion to play for so many years. I didn't do it out of need, I'm doing well out of life. It's about passion. I play for the national team and I love to play football."
After the 1-0 loss, Ronaldo was seen in tears on the pitch. Mikel Merino's 91st-minute winner at Dallas Stadium sealed Portugal's fate.
Ronaldo's World Cup Legacy
Ronaldo has appeared in six World Cups, scoring 11 goals in 27 appearances. His exit marks the end of an era for Portugal, who had high hopes after reaching the semi-finals in 2006 and winning Euro 2016. Rooney's comments highlight a perceived lack of unity in the Portuguese squad compared to Argentina, where Messi is the undisputed leader.
