For whatever reason, Cristiano Ronaldo just can’t let his rivalry with Lionel Messi go.
Despite being clearly head and shoulders below the greatest of all time, the Portuguese refuses to give up the charade that it’s he who is in fact the best ever.
So much so, that it appears his PR machine are still spinning the narrative that his goals in the Saudi Pro League – the 66th best in the world according to TeamForm – is somehow better than winning a World Cup with your country.
Cristiano Ronaldo just can’t shake off the Messi fans
Though they’ve not played in the same league for years now, Messi clearly lives in his rival’s head rent free.
During a recent Al-Nassr game against Al-Shabab, Ronaldo responded to chants of “Messi, Messi” with an obscene gesture.
Although he’s long been the poster boy for the league, that hasn’t stopped the Portuguese ace from being banned for one match because of a decision by the league that he had provoked supporters.
It also puts a different spin on whether he does actually respect his greatest rival, as he has suggested in the past.
Al-Shabab fans chanting: "Messi, Messi"
Ronaldo:pic.twitter.com/wW9WjS7x0E
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) February 25, 2024
BBC Sport have reported that the 39-year-old has also been fined 30,000 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to £6,300 by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, whose disciplinary and ethics committee have indicated that there is no way of appealing the decision made.