What a departure: he didn't show up for training in a fit, left Denmark on a private jet, landed in Spain in a night without fog, left his teammates almost speechless, but whispered on Instagram that he would explain his reasons in due course for letting the national team down after two of four Nations League games.
Cristiano Ronaldo's displeasure probably came from the fact that national coach Jorge Jesus told him that he would not be first choice again against Denmark. Typically “CR7”, one might say. Didn't he always think of himself as the greatest and more important than any team he played on?
In the end, rival Messi shows better timing
When it comes to the end, true greatness is revealed. And then the muscular Ronaldo appears to have a weaker spirit than his eternal rival Lionel Messi. For almost two decades, the Portuguese and the Argentine and their respective supporters argued about who was the best footballer of their generation or even history. In some statistics one has the edge, in some the other: Messi has more titles, Ronaldo more goals. When it comes to timing the finish, Messi is by far the better one.
The eight-time world footballer announced an orderly farewell weeks ago. As a success bonus, he will receive one last international match at home next Tuesday and even an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires. Given the often toxic and cross-border appearances of the convicted tax fraudster, everyone can decide for themselves whether Messi's “excellence, persistence, humility and ethical behavior in the exercise of his work” is far off, as the university's statement states. In any case, Messi gets an honorable farewell, while Ronaldo essentially gives himself a dishonorable discharge.
“CR7” only shows himself to be a team player when he is courted
The departure of the frustrated Ronaldo looks the way his career often seemed: an ego trip by a guy who takes on everyone who prevents him from doing what means the world to him: playing football. As long as the coach and teammates let him and courted him, the forty-one-year-old proved to be a successful team player: just remember the 2016 European Championship final, when the injured superstar drove his selection on the sidelines. As soon as he moved a little, he felt it was an insult to his majesty. Fernando Santos had to experience it as national coach before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar when he informed Ronaldo that he would not be in the starting line-up. After that, the relationship became icy, said Santos.
The question is no longer whether Ronaldo will continue to be a fixed star in Portugal's football universe, but who dares to tell him that from now on he will only be one star among many. Jorge Jesus has now risked it and triggered an earthquake. The seventy-one-year-old is actually someone who could be expected to have an amicable end. He seems like a father figure and has always enjoyed Ronaldo's credit. After all, he took over the coaching job at Al-Nassr last year and led the team and, above all, his title-hungry compatriot to the Saudi Arabian championship for the first time.
Since Ronaldo's international career now threatens to come to an inglorious end, the question arises to what extent he is also dispensable for Al-Nassr. Judging by Ronaldo's performances so far this season, there would be good reasons if club coach Ange Postecoglou would dare to do something similar to national coach Jesus. But in the Saudi League, “CR7” is not just a soccer star who should perhaps play padel at his age. Rather, he is someone who gives the league charisma and revenue. There the star can have a say in how long he will continue to wander.
