In the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup, the fortunes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have sharply diverged, drawing significant attention from soccer fans.
On June 17, Portugal played to a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their opening match of Group K. Despite being considered a favorite to win, Portugal had to settle for just one point.
Ronaldo's performance, in particular, came under scrutiny. Statistics released after the match showed that he recorded three shots, the most of any player, but failed to hit the target, resulting in a shooting accuracy of 0%. He also had an expected goals (xG) of 0.46 but did not score. Ronaldo made 25 touches and completed only one pass in the attacking zone.
In contrast, Messi made headlines by scoring a hat trick against Algeria, setting new records in World Cup history. He achieved the most attacking points in World Cup history and became the oldest player to score a hat trick, earning a perfect rating of 10 for his performance.
The contrasting outcomes for the two superstars sparked comparisons online. Users commented, "Messi is still writing World Cup history," and "It seems the gap between Messi and Ronaldo is widening," while others expressed disappointment, saying, "Given Portugal's squad, this result is disappointing."
Domestic fans in South Korea reacted even more critically. Ronaldo faced backlash for not playing a single minute during a friendly match in 2019 in Korea, despite being announced as a participant, leading to the so-called 'no-show controversy.' This incident has since contributed to a negative image, with some fans referring to him as 'Nalgandu,' a derogatory term.
With another underwhelming performance in this World Cup, critical opinions flooded online communities. Some users lamented, "He no longer shows the decisiveness he once had," and noted, "He is inevitably compared to Messi."
Looking ahead, Portugal aims to bounce back in their next group stage match. Unlike Messi, who has etched his name in World Cup history once again, Ronaldo faces the challenge of proving his worth in the remaining games.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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