Euro 2016: Why Critics Say Rivalry Between Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi is Finally Over
For several years now, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Lionel Messi of Barcelona have been pitted against each other as they are regarded as the world's two greatest players of their generation. But some critics said that the rivalry between the two football superstars has come to an end after the 2016 European Championship, with Ronaldo edging ahead of Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Triumph in Euro 2016 Final
According to Sports Illustrated, Ronaldo, who played with the Portugal national team on Sunday, got emotional after he succumbed to injury early on in the Euro 2016 final. But his frustrations were later replaced with tears of joy after Portugal managed to beat France. It is the first championship trophy for Portugal after several failed attempts.
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In the past, Ronaldo and Messi were criticized for not winning a championship for their respective national team. With Ronaldo winning the Euro 2016 final for the first time, critics claimed that it is a huge step ahead of his ultimate rival Messi who did not perform well in the 2016 Copa America.
Lionel Messi's Failure in 2016 Copa America
It can be recalled that Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team ended their 2016 Copa America journey in tears after they lost to Chile. It was the national team's third consecutive loss in an international championship. Moreover, Messi also announced his retirement from the national team shortly after their loss.
"Cristiano Ronaldo has succeeded where Lionel Messi failed — he has won a major trophy at international level," Andrew Richardson of The Sun wrote. He added that Ronaldo's triumph in the Euro 2016 final and Messi's failure in the 2016 Copa America have ended any debate about who is the best between the two football superstars.
Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi Rivalry is Not Yet Over
Some football enthusiasts refuted claims that Ronaldo's triumph in the Euro 2016 final is a huge step ahead of Messi who failed in the 2016 Copa America. Dermot Corrigan, a Madrid-based football writer of ESPN, said that Ronaldo has achieved a trophy that Messi has not in international football, but it does not mean that Messi was already left behind. "It would be impossible to say that this summer really settles any debate about who will go down in history as the best," he added.
Moreover, Adam Bates of Fox Sports, commented that Ronaldo was enhanced by the Portugal's triumph in the Euro 2016 final, however, it should not be misconstrued that Messi was diminished by the Argentina's failure in the 2016 Copa America. He noted that the Ronaldo was not even on the field when his teammates played hard to win the Euro 2016 final.
