Ronaldo confirms, “I would like to be the player who tells Messi checkmate”

Ronaldo indicated that his dispute with his club, Manchester United, would not affect Portugal’s fortunes in the football wedding, after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner caused a spherical earthquake when he revealed in an interview last week that he “does not respect” Dutch coach Eric Ten Hag, the Red Devils, and that he felt ” of treason” by the club’s officials, accusing them of wanting to oust him from the team.

“I have no doubt that this interview, and other interviews with other players, can shake the player sometimes, but it will not shake the team,” Ronaldo said during a press conference from the Portugal training center, about thirty kilometers west of Doha.

Ronaldo, who will compete in the World Finals for the fifth and most likely last time, was suspended by his club for one match after he refused to enter as a substitute against Tottenham last month and left the field before the final whistle.

The 37-year-old said during the interview that he felt “provoked” by Ten Hag’s reaction, and confirmed on Monday that he did not regret it.

He added, “I don’t worry about what other people think, I speak up when I feel like it. Everyone on the team knows who I am and what I believe in.”

And he confirmed that the recently circulated video clip of a cold handshake between him and his United colleague Bruno Fernandes, along with scenes of him joking with Manchester City player Joao Cancelo, were exaggerated by the media.

The former Real Madrid player confirmed: “The general atmosphere is excellent, it is bulletproof. The next player who comes here, you don’t have to ask him about it, don’t talk about me, you don’t have to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo… Help them and ask them about the World Cup.”

“Seleção” begins its career against Ghana on Thursday, before facing Uruguay and South Korea in Group H.

Having missed Nigeria’s friendly (4-0 win) with gastritis last week, Ronaldo said: “I feel good, I’m back in shape, we’ve had good training, the team and I are ready to start the World Cup in the best possible way.”

Messi controversy ‘will continue’

Ronaldo recently appeared in a dazzling advertisement for Louis Vuitton alongside his eternal rival Lionel Messi, in which the duo was photographed playing chess.

“I would like to be the player who tells Messi checkmate,” he said with a smile. “It happened in chess and in football it would be amazing.”

Argentine Messi, the Paris Saint-Germain striker, has won the Ballon d’Or seven times and is considered by many to be the best player in football history.

Ronaldo commented: “Even if I win the World Cup, this controversy will continue. Some people like me more, others like me less, as in life, some like blondes and some like brunettes. The World Cup will always be an occasion for that.”

He added, “But if you tell me that I will not win any more trophies in my career, I will still be happy, given all that I have achieved.”