‘A farewell worthy of the genius’: Ronaldo hails Lionel Messi after Argentina’s dramatic penalty shootout win against France capped off his glittering career
Brazilian legend Ronaldo has hailed Lionel Messi after he finally won the World Cup following Argentina’s dramatic penalty shootout win against France.
Competing in his fifth World Cup, it seemed like Messi was going to win football’s biggest international tournament at a stroll when Argentina went two goals up before half time, but they were pegged back by two Kylian Mbappe strikes in as many minutes to take the game to extra-time.
Messi netted his second goal of the match to put Argentina back in front, only for Mbappe to complete his hat-trick by equalising from the spot to force penalties. Despite Mbappe’s best efforts, France came up short in the shootout, giving Messi his crowning glory.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory as they beat France on penalties in the final
Ronaldo has congratulated Messi on Twitter and feels he deserves the victory
Brazil and Argentina is widely recognised as one of football’s biggest rivalries, but Ronaldo believes that goes out the window when it comes to Messi, and he has heaped praise on the 35-year-old after his latest triumph.
‘This guy’s football throws any rivalry to the corner. I saw a lot of Brazilians – and people from all over the world – rooting for Messi in this electrifying final,’ Ronaldo wrote on Twitter.
‘A farewell worthy of the genius who, far beyond being a World Cup star, captained an era.
‘Congratulations Messi!’
Ronaldo feels the rivalry between Brazil and Argentina goes out the window when it comes to Messi
Messi saved his best World Cup for last, netting seven goals during the tournament, including two in the final.
This is more than he managed in his four previous World Cups combined – he finishes with 13 goals across five World Cups.
This leaves him two goals behind Ronaldo, who scored 15 goals in 19 World Cup appearances, and won the tournament in 2002.
He was also part of the 1994 squad that triumphed in the US, but did not play a single minute.
Having won everything at club level, Messi has now won the Copa America and World Cup in the space of 18 months, and he was voted the best player in Qatar after his outstanding tournament.
Messi picked up the Golden Ball award for being the best player at the World Cup
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