Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts to Jose Mourinho's Lionel Messi Comments with Social Media 'Like'
Cristiano Ronaldo has subtly entered the fray of the perennial football debate by liking an Instagram post featuring Jose Mourinho's past arguments in his favour over Lionel Messi. This move comes as the rivalry between the two legends, though both are now in the twilight of their careers, continues to captivate fans worldwide.
The Enduring Rivalry: Ronaldo vs. Messi
Since emerging as global superstars in the mid-2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have divided opinion, with supporters fiercely debating who merits the title of football's greatest player of all time. Their peak rivalry unfolded after Ronaldo's transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009, while Messi remained at Barcelona. During this period, they battled for La Liga titles, golden boot awards, and Ballon d'Or honours, with Ronaldo securing five of the latter and Messi achieving a record eight.
Today, at ages 40 and 38 respectively, Ronaldo is pursuing 1,000 career goals at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, albeit currently on strike, while Messi recently won the MLS Cup with Inter Miami. Despite their advanced careers, the debate persists, fuelled by passionate fan bases and occasional public remarks.
Mourinho's 2012 Defence of Ronaldo Resurfaces
In the Instagram video from 2012, which Ronaldo endorsed with a 'like', Jose Mourinho, who managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid, passionately defended the Portuguese forward. Mourinho argued that it is more challenging to be Ronaldo than Messi, citing differences in their career paths and playing roles.
Mourinho stated: "I still say that it is more difficult to be Cristiano than Messi. Messi grew up in the team he plays for, with the team-mates he plays with. Cristiano arrived in England at a giant team in crisis, which was only losing. He had to grow over the last two years with this team under construction."
He elaborated on their positional demands, noting: "Messi plays as a number 9 in about 50 square meters, closer to the goal and with less defensive work. Cristiano, on the other hand, is a winger. How can a winger score the same number of goals as a centre forward? A winger who defends, who ends a game in the 94th minute running after Pedro in a goal-scoring situation... It is much, much harder to be Cristiano, let's stop joking."
Mourinho's Evolving Stance and Ronaldo's Confidence
Despite this earlier bias, Mourinho has since refrained from directly comparing Ronaldo and Messi. In 2025, he shifted focus, claiming that neither at their peak matched the talent of Brazilian Ronaldo, known as 'El Fenomeno', whose career was hampered by injuries. Mourinho remarked on the Brazilian's superior skill, though acknowledged the longevity of Ronaldo and Messi's top-level performances.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has consistently asserted his superiority. In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, he declared: "Is Messi better than me? I disagree. I don't want to be humble." This confidence aligns with his social media activity, suggesting an ongoing effort to shape his legacy amidst the GOAT discussion.
The Legacy Debate Continues
Ronaldo's endorsement of Mourinho's old comments highlights the enduring nature of this football rivalry. While Messi typically avoids such comparisons, Ronaldo's actions and words indicate a determination to cement his status. As both players near retirement, their achievements—Ronaldo's goal-scoring feats and Messi's trophy haul—will likely fuel debates for years to come, with fans and pundits alike weighing in on who truly deserves the crown of football's greatest.
