Daniel Riolo describes Ronaldo as a 'thorn' for Portugal and compares him to Messi
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
Daniel Riolo harshly judged Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese selection's 1-1 against DR Congo, contrasting his face with Lionel Messi's trident at the tournament.
Well-known French journalist Daniel Riolo was tough on Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal's 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first match of Group K at the 2026 World Cup. Riolo compared the Portuguese striker's performance to that of Lionel Messi at the tournament.
Ronaldo played the entire match (90 minutes) without finding the net. Conversely, Lionel Messi, aligned with Argentina against Algeria, only played 76 minutes but scored a hat-trick, highlighting a cruel contrast in the eyes of the columnist.
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“Cristiano Ronaldo — he’s a thorn for his team… They played with ten men with Pique in attack. Messi knows his career is coming to an end... Ronaldo lives in his own world. He thinks he's still 25 years old, that he's still in a big club, that he's still playing at the same level…” said Riolo, quoted by Actu Foot sur X, repeating comments made in RMC's After Foot podcast.
The journalist thus points out, in a severe tone, the gap between Messi's immediate impact in this World Cup and Ronaldo's inability to impact offensively despite his constant presence on the pitch.
Portugal will return to the field for the 2nd day of Group K against Uzbekistan on June 23.