Ronaldo rejects view Messi is greater, says he won't be humble

Cristiano Ronaldo has rejected the common view that Lionel Messi is the superior player, saying in a preview of a televised interview this week that he "does not agree" with that opinion and that "I don't want to be humble." The Portugal captain made the remarks while discussing the longrunning Messi versus Ronaldo debate in an interview with Piers Morgan, and he also sought to downplay the weight some place on Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory.

"How many World Cups did Argentina win before Messi? I don't know, two times? It's normal," Ronaldo said in the interview, arguing that established footballing nations do not surprise the world when they win major tournaments. He contrasted that history with Portugal's, saying a Portuguese World Cup triumph would be more unexpected. Ronaldo also brushed off comments by former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney, who has previously said he considers Messi the greatest, saying Rooney's preference "doesn't bother me at all."

Messi, who captained Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar in December 2022, described the achievement as the crowning moment of his career at an appearance this week in Florida. "The truth is that explaining...