Maybe it was inevitable, given how entwined their careers have been. But the comparison is irresistible. As Lionel Messi is lauded in Argentina during his farewell game, his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal career appears to be ending in acrimony.
For Messi enthusiasts, the temptation is to conclude that it tells you everything about the two men. For Ronaldo's mores vociferous fans, it is proof of a player not being given his due. Why is he not being afforded such status after doing so much for his country?
Ronaldo started the narrow win over Wales without scoring but was benched for the trip to Norway and was so frustrated by not coming on that he departed the camp. Portugal won that match and coach Jorge Jesus has followed it up with two more in his absence. "I am not apologising to anyone," said Jesus in the aftermath.
"If I need you for 30 minutes, you will play. If I don't need you, you won't play. No player will ever change my ideas as a coach.
Not him, not any president, no one." It was not exactly placatory. "In due course, I will tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure." That was Ronaldo's own dark declaration, hinting at a justifiable explanation for all this. Jesus has since left the door ajar but is Ronaldo ready to walk through it?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Jesus and Ronaldo worked together at Al Nassr with no indication that it would implode like this. But their characters put them on this collision course. The cantankerous Jesus was never likely to be prone to the obsequiousness that undermined his predecessor.
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