RGIII framed his take around what he sees when watching both national teams play at the tournament, which currently has much of the United States enthralled as host cities welcome visitors from around the globe.
When you watch Argentina and Portugal, one thing is very clear. Lionel Messi's teammates LOVE HIM. Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates HATE HIM,
He shared the remark on Twitter. The comment landed against a backdrop of contrasting World Cup fortunes for both stars. Argentina has been dominating while Portugal has struggled. Messi scored a hat trick during the tournament, while Ronaldo still had not scored a goal at the time of the discussion. The post also arrived amid rumors of internal strife within the Portuguese national team, with Ronaldo's teammates reportedly unhappy with him.
Reaction split sharply. Many people agreed with RGIII's assessment, while a large number of fans criticized the former NFL star for his read on the rivalry.
Fan Responses to RGIII's Post
Supporters and critics of both players pushed back and rallied around the quarterback's message in equal measure. The responses covered leadership, ego, and what each star still brings to his national team.
That a lie… I'm a Messi fan and Argentina love him .. but to say that about Ronaldo shows you know nothing about football…. Stick to the 🏈,
One Ronaldo supporter wrote that line in reply.
You never speak facts… you finally spoke facts,
Another user responded in support of the post.
Also ask Ronaldo if he values his teammates or even love his teammates! He is to egoist to be a good teammate,
A Ronaldo critic commented along those lines.
Messi is a natural leader. Ronaldo is a cocky egotistical person,
One Messi fan wrote.
False. Ronaldo loves people. Messi exactly opposite,
Another Ronaldo supporter fired back.
I don't think so. I think Messi has others that lead on that Argentina team and Ronaldo leads but hard to lead when you're not what you used to be. It's that simple,
One fan offered a different angle on both captains.
Cristiano has teammates? It's all about him,
A Ronaldo critic added.
RGIII Compares Lionel Messi to Michael Jordan
RGIII did not stop at the teammate comparison. He also placed Messi at the top of soccer history using a familiar American sports shorthand. The phrase "Michael Jordan of" is commonly used to describe someone viewed as the best and most iconic figure in a sport, genre, job, or any field. RGIII believes soccer's Michael Jordan is Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi is the Michael Jordan of Football. No one compares to him,
He said in that separate remark. RGIII even referred to the sport as "football," a word choice that stood out coming from an American football star who appears to be embracing the global game during the World Cup.
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