Messi-Ronaldo fans at loggerheads after FIFA 'disrespects' Portuguese legend during The Best awards
During the FIFA The Best awards, Cristiano Ronaldo was shown sitting on the bench as a World Cup 2022 showcase video was played at the ceremony, sparking a massive outburst between fans of the Portuguese talisman and his arch-rival Lionel Messi.
FollowIn what has left Cristiano Ronaldo fans fuming, supporters believe that the Al-Nassr star was 'disrespected' during Monday night's FIFA The Best awards, which saw Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Argentina star Lionel Messi grab top honour.
Some of the top football stars in the world came to Paris on Monday for the ceremony honouring the best performances of the year. Argentina won the bulk of the male prizes, as expected, following their incredible World Cup victory in Qatar last year.
Lionel Messi was named the Best Men's Player, and the best goalkeeper was Emiliano Martinez, the best coach award went to Lionel Scaloni, and the best fans were Argentina supporters.
However, Ronaldo fans believe that FIFA humiliated the five-time Ballon d'Or winner when a video montage of the World Cup 2022 journey showcased the Portuguese talisman sitting on the bench.
Ronaldo fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure, believing that FIFA is biased towards the 38-year-old striker's arch-rival Messi.Â
"Not the first time FIFA disrespected Ronaldo like this by the way," said one CR7 fan on the micro-blogging site, while another added, "Not a good look for FIFA to disrespect a legend of the game like that, there are other clips of him, why show one of him sat on the bench?"
Meanwhile, Messi fans trolled Ronaldo supporters after the latter remained irked over FIFA's 'disrespectful' gesture at the glittering Paris ceremony.
"Cry more baby cry," wrote one Messi fan sarcastically, while another added, "But when Messi was omitted from Balon D'or list last season. They were Messi fans, right? Such a stupid analogy. Deal with it. Bs !!Clown."
Some Messi fans even trolled Ronaldo as grabbing 'The Best bench warmer award' after CR7 spent most of his campaign at Manchester United and World Cup 2022 on the bench.
Here's a look at how Messi and Ronaldo's fans sparred on Twitter:
Portugal superstar Ronaldo endured a challenging 2022. The striker's second stint at Old Trafford ended on a sour note after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November didn't go down well with United's manager Erik ten Hag and the club's management.
Additionally, Portugal's hopes of having Ronaldo win his first World Cup with them were crushed when Morocco eliminated them in the quarterfinals, making matters worse for the legendary player. The Portuguese talisman's signing with the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr was revealed in early January after weeks of rumours following the tournament in Qatar.
Ronaldo announced that his time in Europe was finished during his first news conference in the Middle East as he got set for a new chapter in his already successful career. The Al-Nassr star has made six appearances for his new team in all competitions, recording eight goals (2 hat-tricks included) and two assists.
Will Ronaldo be a hit in Saudi Arabia? Time will only tell.
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.
