Cristiano Ronaldo welcomed Argentina clash, but shut down Messi question | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo made history once again by becoming the first footballer to score in six editions of the World Cup. After facing heavy criticism for his poor debut in Portugal’s draw against the Republic of the Congo, the Portuguese forward responded with a brace in the 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan. The result secured his team’s place in the round of 32 and sparked a real show from “the Bug” in front of the microphones, where he took aim at his critics and ignored a question about Lionel Messi.

Letting off steam in front of the microphones and a message for his critics

The Portuguese star put the team’s performance ahead of his new individual milestone and opened up about the days leading up to the match. He described the past week as “dark” and admitted it had seemed like he was already finished in football. Along those same lines, the striker explained that his “I’m back” celebration was especially aimed at those who have spent his 23-year professional career criticizing him.

Potential clash with Argentina and the awkward moment over Messi

Upon arriving in the mixed zone, Ronaldo was asked about a possible quarterfinal showdown against Argentina, a matchup that could happen if both countries finish top of their groups. Although he admitted that a duel with Messi would be “top,” he felt the question did not make much sense at this moment and preferred to focus on Colombia, the next opponent. The atmosphere grew tense when a journalist asked him about the all-time top scorers table while mentioning the Rosario-born star; as soon as he heard Leo’s name, Cristiano looked away, gave the floor to another reporter, and bluntly warned that he would not answer if the question did not interest him.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.