Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievements and accolades place him in the debates with the greatest players of all time in the history of soccer. The 39-year-old has some splendid records to his name and is still going strong. His club career is undoubtedly in contention with the best in business. Even on the international scene, Ronaldo is the top goalscorer of all time, but it is the major international tournaments where the Portuguese has witnessed a bump in the road.
Ronaldo’s long-time counterpart and rival, Lionel Messi, on the other hand, has cemented his legacy as an international great in recent years. The statistics of the two playing in knockout competitions for their respective countries present a wide gap, which has hurt Ronaldo’s legacy massively. Even during the ongoing Copa America and the Euros, Ronaldo endured a difficult campaign with no goals to his name, while Messi is preparing for the all-important final against Columbia.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s shortcomings in knockout rounds with Portugal
Lionel Messi has appeared in 29 knockout games for his country, scoring 11 goals and assisting a further 17. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has scored only three in nine fewer appearances than his great competitor. The former Real Madrid man is renowned for his goalscoring prowess and is regarded as the finest finisher of all time, which makes his numbers even more underwhelming.
The figures are even more lackluster considering that all these have been collected by Ronaldo in the European Championship itself. Remarkably, the Portuguese captain has failed to acquire even a single-goal contribution in his FIFA World Cup knockout career. Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact on soccer can not be changed or diminished by any means, but the legend himself will view his knockout record with his nation as a disappointment.
Fans mock Cristiano Ronaldo for his frustrating international displays
Ronaldo’s popularity has always been accompanied by critics and pundits finding a way to downplay the great man’s career. Following Portugal’s quarter-final exit in the Euros against France, many have concluded that the icon’s time with the national team is over. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was visibly off-the-pace throughout the event and invited countless thrashing from all sections of the sport.
Playing for Al Nassr currently, Ronaldo would have expected this amount of trolling from the supporters and would have been relatively unbothered. His legacy with Portugal will be remembered for his efforts in transforming the nation from the ‘minnows’ tag to one that competes with the best on every occasion. His focus will now be on closing out his illustrious career gloriously with Al Nassr in the coming seasons.