In praise of Cristiano Ronaldo’s football accomplishments, Peterside Idah asserts that the Portuguese player has earned his place in the greatest game.
After Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo’s arch rival, won his first World Cup, the former Super Eagles star spoke on Monday. Messi’s legion of fans claimed that this achievement solidified the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward’s position as the “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT).
However, Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in history, according to Peterside Idah, and his contributions to football cannot be diminished.
“The rivalry is unbelievable. They did not create it. The fans did and it has been good for football in the last ten years. Again, congratulations to Ronaldo. I say Ronaldo because he is a GOAT on his own; one of the greatest in the world,” he said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
But, Messi, he added, “deserves the honour. Messi has won seven Ballon d’Or. Messi won Copa America last year and he has won the World Cup this year. For me, Messi is the greatest”.
Before Sunday’s victory over France, the lack of a World Cup champions medal had long been used as Exhibit A in the debate about Messi’s place in football history above Pele and Diego Maradona.
But now that Argentina has defeated France in the electrifying final in Doha, the 35-year-old maestro’s case is undoubtedly gone.
Messi has won 37 club trophies, seven Ballon d’Ors, and six European Golden Boots over his illustrious three-decade career.
A Copa America championship, an Olympic gold medal, and a number of scoring and statistics records that might never be broken have all been achieved.
On Sunday night at the Lusail Stadium, Messi completely filled up the single remaining gap on his resume—a World Cup victory—over the course of 120 mesmerizing minutes.
Messi scored twice as Argentina fought to a 3-3 draw in extra time before winning on penalties in his final World Cup appearance, a record-breaking 26th overall.
On a night that felt preordained, not even Kylian Mbappe’s enchanted hat-trick for Les Bleus could interfere with Messi’s appointment with fate.
