Post by : Meena Ariff

Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent remarks appear to contrast with his reaction after the 2022 World Cup, suggesting a shift in how he talks about the tournament. Portugal’s surprising elimination by Morocco in Qatar — and Lionel Messi’s triumph with Argentina — left many observers viewing the event as decisive in the long-running Messi–Ronaldo comparison.

Following Portugal’s exit, Ronaldo used Instagram to reflect on the campaign, saying that taking his country to the pinnacle of the sport had been the greatest and most ambitious goal of his career. He noted that, despite other international honours, elevating Portugal on the world stage was his foremost aspiration.

Yet in a recent sit-down with Piers Morgan on the latter’s YouTube channel, Ronaldo described the World Cup differently, stating he would not characterise winning it as a personal dream.

He also questioned whether a single tournament should be the yardstick for greatness, asking whether one competition — six or seven matches — can fairly settle a player’s standing among the all-time best.

Ronaldo has appeared at five World Cups but the trophy has eluded him. Despite unparalleled club success, international silverware on the World Cup stage remains absent from his résumé. The Qatar 2022 edition was particularly disappointing for him: he was left on the bench during pivotal moments, including the quarter-final loss to Morocco, a 0-1 defeat that ended Portugal’s campaign and left the World Cup title out of reach.

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