Former Germany star Dietmar Hamann has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn’t put his team first – unlike Lionel Messi. The ex-Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder has suggested Ronaldo has never learned to prioritise the team he’s playing for over himself.
Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time but came in for huge criticism at Euro 2024 after being perceived to put himself before the team. The former Manchester United man insisted on taking the majority of Portugal’s free-kicks, the fateful penalty against Slovakia and was ultimately considered undroppable by Roberto Martinez, despite his age.
Many pundits believed Portugal may have fared better than they did in the tournament with Ronaldo as a lesser presence. In the end they lost on penalties in the quarter-finals to France.
Hamann was left unimpressed by Ronaldo and insisted that Messi would “100% not insist on playing” if there was someone else better suited to his position. In a conversation with TopOffshoreSportsBooks, Hamann stated: “It’s not about his mentality, but you’ve got to think about the team first. I can tell you one thing, they’ve been the best players in the world for the last 20 years but if Messi was in a state where he couldn’t help the team anymore, he would 100% not insist on playing.”
In a candid commentary, Hamann applauded Messi for his selfless attitude during Argentina’s triumphant Copa America campaign, asserting that Messi would prioritise the squad over individual glory by willingly taking a bench role if it enhanced the team’s performance.
The former German international added: “He would say to the manager, you know what, I don’t think I can cut it anymore. Start with another formation. If you need me for the last 20 minutes, 30 minutes when the other players get tired, I might be able to do a bit of magic.
“But no way he would have occupied a space where somebody else would have played a better, a much better role.”
By contrast, Diogo Jota and Goncalo Ramos were sidelined throughout Portugal’s crucial quarter-final against France – a stark contrast to the constant presence of Ronaldo on the pitch for the full duration. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United‘s midfield linchpin, was swapped out 15 minutes from the end; however, it was Ronaldo’s ongoing role in the fixture that left fans and spectators perplexed.
Despite finding the back of the net during the nerve-wracking penalty shootout with France, Ronaldo was ultimately part of a defeated squad, casting a shadow on his illustrious international run. With the 2026 World Cup looming, questions will undoubtedly arise about the superstar’s future given he will be 41 by then.
