Cristiano Ronaldo criticized for behavior that “shows he has nothing to do with Lionel Messi”

Former Germany player Dietmar Hamann has said that Cristiano Ronaldo does not put his team first, unlike Lionel Messi. The former Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder suggested that Ronaldo never learned to put the team he plays for first over himself.

Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time, but he has been heavily criticised at Euro 2024 as he was seen as putting his personality before the team. The former Manchester United player insisted on taking the majority of Portugal's free-kicks, the fateful penalty against Slovakia and was ultimately considered a foregone conclusion by Roberto Martinez, despite his age.

Many pundits believed that Portugal could have fared better than they did at the tournament with Ronaldo's reduced presence. In the end, the Portuguese lost on penalties in the quarter-finals to France.

Hamann was not impressed with Ronaldo and insisted that Messi would not 100% insist on playing if there was someone else better suited to his position. In a conversation with TopOffshoreSportsBooks, Hamann said: “It's not a question of mentality, but you have to think about the team first. I can tell you one thing, they have been the best players in the world for the last 20 years, but if Messi was in a state where he could no longer help the team, he would not 100% insist on playing.”

In a candid comment, Hamann applauded Messi for his selfless attitude during Argentina's triumphant Copa America campaign, saying Messi would prioritise the team over individual glory by willingly accepting a substitute role if it improved the team's performance.

The former Germany international added: “He was saying to the manager, you know what, I don't think I can do it anymore. Start with a different formation. If you need me in the last 20 or 30 minutes, when the other players are tired, maybe I can do a bit of magic.”

“But he would not have occupied a space where someone else would have played a better, much better role.”

In contrast, Diogo Jota and Goncalo Ramos were absent for the entirety of Portugal's crucial quarter-final against France, in stark contrast to Ronaldo's constant presence on the pitch throughout the match. Manchester United's midfield mainstay Bruno Fernandes was replaced with 15 minutes remaining. However, it was Ronaldo's continued role in the encounter that left fans and spectators perplexed.

Despite scoring in the penalty shootout against France, Ronaldo was ultimately eliminated, casting a shadow over his illustrious international career. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, questions will undoubtedly be asked about the superstar's future, as he will be 41 by then.