For almost fifteen years, they reigned over world football, waging a battle at a distance, but always with apparent mutual respect. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, it was the story of a tacit non-aggression pact, where each recognized the greatness of the other without ever crossing the red line. The two legends carefully avoided making sensational statements about each other, letting their armies of fans rage over the “Greatest Of All Time” debate. An era of diplomacy which today seems to be over.
“I don’t want to be humble”
During a new interview given to journalist Piers Morgan, scheduled to be broadcast this Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo decided to change his tone.
Asked about the opinion of his former teammate Wayne Rooney, who considers Messi to be the best player of all time, the Portuguese did not beat around the bush.
His response was as direct as it was surprising: “ Messi better than me? I do not agree with this opinion. I don’t want to be humble”.
A little sentence that puts an end to years of controlled communication.
At 40, exiled in the Saudi championship with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo clearly no longer wants to play the game of conventions. No more political correctness, make way for uninhibited frankness. This media release is not a coincidence. It reflects a form of liberation for a player who, at the twilight of his career, seems to want to mark his territory one last time, no longer on the pitch, but in people’s minds. He assumes his point of view, without filter.
Ronaldo, an assumed arrogance that divides
This declaration will not fail to relaunch a trench war between the pro-Messi and the pro-Ronaldo. For his supporters, this frankness is the mark of a champion sure of his strength, who refuses to conform to a facade of humility. For his detractors, it will only confirm the image of an arrogant player, incapable of admitting the superiority of his rival. Ronaldo has chosen his side: that of his own truth, whether he likes it or not.
After all, why dress up your words when you can leave them naked, raw, sincere? Like Albert Camus’s stranger, Ronaldo refuses the social game that would require him to soften his speech so as not to offend anyone. By choosing to say what is on his heart, he embraces his uniqueness to the end. We can see pride or a form of integrity. But one thing is certain: it’s pure Cristiano Ronaldo.
