The weak point of a proud person is… pride. During his entire career, C.Ronaldo was like a speedboat, flattening all opponents, except Messi. The Argentine superstar is both a driving force and brings pressure to CR7.
Perhaps the only person who can touch C. Ronaldo’s pride is Messi. Over the years, superstar number 7 has chosen to “stay hidden” in Saudi Arabia and not be at the top with Messi. But saying that CR7 no longer cares about Messi’s success (such as winning the World Cup, winning consecutive Golden Balls) is just a lie.
It is no coincidence that in recent times, rival fans have continuously used Messi as a “spell” to seal C.Ronaldo. They continuously chanted El Pulga’s name to distract CR7.
C.Ronaldo reacted with an obscene act during the match against Al Shabab and eventually received a one-match suspension. On the day the Portuguese superstar was absent due to suspension, Al Nassr experienced a 4-4 draw against Al Hazm, opening a turning point in the championship race when they were far behind Al Hilal.
That draw made Al Nassr completely lose morale. They lost two recent consecutive matches against Al Ain (AFC Champions League) and Al Raed (Saudi Arabia national championship). These two defeats put Al Nassr at risk of nothing this season.
Not surprisingly, in both of those matches, opposing fans used Messi’s “spell” to “haunt” C. Ronaldo. The 39-year-old striker left behind great disappointment and was unable to save the “ship” of Al Nassr that was gradually sinking.
In the match against Al Raed, C.Ronaldo no longer reacted like before when he heard Messi’s name. This player just trudged into the tunnel with frustration reaching its peak. That was a move that showed that CR7 was truly helpless.
In the context of Al Nassr becoming more and more dependent on the breath of the “old man” who turned 39, they became lifeless the day C. Ronaldo was no longer himself. Don’t be surprised if in the next matches, opposing fans don’t use Messi’s name to evoke C. Ronaldo’s obsession.
The tragedy of the proud is when their pride is hurt. No one knows how long CR7 will dedicate himself to the world of football, but perhaps, from now until the end of his career, it will be difficult for him to escape the obsession of Messi.
Not only Al Nassr, the Portuguese team also has the same worries at this time. In the summer of 2024, C. Ronaldo will lead the Iberian island team to fight in Euro 2024, the tournament that may be the last in this player’s career.
Coach Roberto Martinez could not be as brave as his predecessor Fernando Santos when leaving C. Ronaldo on the bench at the 2022 World Cup. Because then, coach Santos lost his job after the tournament. In other words, the Portuguese team still has to live with C.Ronaldo’s pride (which can be hurt at any time).
That will be a “double-edged sword” for every team that owns C. Ronaldo at this time. Recently, coach Solskjaer honestly shared: “It was an unsuccessful deal for me and C. Ronaldo, but at that time, the decision to recruit CR7 was completely right.
When we had the ball, we had no problems with C.Ronaldo. However, in the match without the ball, I was forced to change the roles of many players when CR7 refused to apply pressure.
We were the highest pressing team before C.Ronaldo moved to the team. We felt the passion from C.Ronaldo but also suffered a lot of trouble. Man Utd has many young players like Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, so they can learn a lot from C.Ronaldo.
When I first came to Man Utd, C. Ronaldo told me to start 3 consecutive matches and rest the 4th match. However, CR7 was too passionate, so when I let this player rest, he didn’t like it. ”
Perhaps, that is also a big concern of many coaches when working with C.Ronaldo at this time.
