World-Common Subject

After Portugal's elimination from the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo posted a photo of the UEFA Euro 2016 trophy that he won 10 years ago. In my opinion, the timing of that post was strange. To me, the main objective of the post was to remind everyone that he is the best. It looked like an attempt to shift the conversation away from Portugal's World Cup exit and back to his past achievements.

Euro 2016 was a historic achievement for Portugal, but Ronaldo spent most of the final on the bench after being forced off through injury. It was still his team's victory, but he was not the decisive player in the final. Likewise, he was not named Player of the Tournament.

After Portugal's elimination, Ronaldo also said in his post-match interview that he had won three trophies with Portugal. However, it is worth remembering the context. Portugal's Euro 2016 triumph came after Ronaldo left the final through injury, and the UEFA Nations League, while an official UEFA competition, is generally viewed by many fans as less prestigious than the World Cup or the Euros. In one Nations League campaign, Bernardo Silva was named Player of the Finals, while in another, Nuno Mendes received that honor. Those awards highlight the important contributions of Ronaldo's teammates.

Ronaldo has played in around 17 or 18 major international tournaments during his career, yet he has never been named Player of the Tournament in any of them. That speaks loudly about his impact in major tournaments, despite his remarkable longevity and goal-scoring record.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is still performing at an extraordinary level at 39, leading the scoring charts at the 2026 World Cup. Back in 2022, when Ronaldo was delivering poor performances and exited the World Cup early, many of his fans said, "Let's see what Messi does at 37." Messi has answered those questions with his performances at 39, not 37, in this World Cup.

Some of Ronaldo's supporters make exaggerated claims online, and I sometimes feel that similar talking points appear in his interviews. To me, he seems increasingly focused on defending his legacy rather than letting his football speak for itself. I believe it is better to let football legends, experts, and history judge a player's greatness instead of constantly talking about your own achievements.

These are simply my opinions as a football fan, but I believe a player's legacy should be judged by consistent performances, leadership, and what they contribute to the team, rather than by constantly reminding people of past achievements.

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