Cristiano Ronaldo sends rival Lionel Messi blunt message after 900th career goal
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League and sent a pointed message to Lionel Messi after the match
Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have sent a message to Lionel Messi after scoring his 900th career goal by claiming his Euro 2016 victory is "equivalent to winning a World Cup".
It was a moment so overwhelming it brought him to tears. When pressed on his feelings regarding the 2026 World Cup after the game, the football legend was chilled about not snagging the world-famous cup, pointing out his Euros and Nations League wins with his national side were enough for him.
Ronaldo had been asked about featuring at the 2026 footballing festival - but the prospect of finishing his career without winning a World Cup did not bother him as he has already lifted the Euros and Nations League with Portugal.
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"Portugal winning Euros is equivalent to winning a World Cup! I've already won two trophies for Portugal that I really wanted. I'm not motivated by that. I'm motivated by enjoying football and the records come naturally," reports the Mirror
And some fans have interpreted his comments as a dig aimed at long time rival Messi, who has scored 867 career goals and won the World Cup with Argentina last year. "Messi living rent free in his head," wrote one.
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A second added: "I'm 100% sure he didn't sleep the night Messi won the World Cup." A third wrote: "Just confirmed why Messi is the greatest."
Reflecting on the milestone, Ronaldo said: "Only me, and the people around me know how difficult it is to work daily to be physically and psychologically well and reach goal 900. It's a unique milestone in my career and it was with a lot of emotion I celebrated that goal.
"It represents a lot. It was the number I wanted to achieve for a long time and I knew I would achieve it because, as I continue to play, it would happen naturally. I already won two trophies for Portugal, something I really wanted. Whatever comes next is spectacular."
Ronaldo has since netted his 901st goal, against Scotland, setting him on his way to strike No.1000.