New Delhi: The jersey reveal, the golden lettering, the drones in the sky, the tears in the crowd, the emotions on social media and everyone in the stadium at Buenos Aires, including Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, asking Lionel Messi to stay on.
Across the Atlantic, during a Nations League match against Norway, Portugal manager Jorge Jesus left their legend Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old captain, as an unused substitute. In his final match, a farewell ode, Messi scored a goal and created two others as Argentina won 3-0 against Benin. Eight goals and four assists are a stunning return for a 39-year-old seemingly ending his career.
But Ronaldo looks lost – still searching for his old self when he and the team need something different. No one asking him to stay. No tears being shed. Not yet. Part of it perhaps comes down to what they are producing on the field. It was much the same during the World Cup too – between his long walks on the field were spurts of unstoppable brilliance. Ronaldo, despite his ‘I’m back’ statement during the World Cup, hasn’t been anywhere close to his best for a while. He scored three goals (two against Uzbekistan and one penalty against Croatia) at the World Cup, but the movement and the touch… it all seems to be in a freefall. It is surprising perhaps that Ronaldo is blind to it all. He may still come back but one hopes he does not for he’s better than this. And perhaps his legacy deserves better than this. Greatness understands greatness. The things that set them apart, the things that make them special. In Messi’s play, we still see that. He isn’t as quick or strong as he once was but he picks his moments. Then, in your 30s or 40s, you have to walk away and start fresh at life, life that isn’t all about training runs, the gym and the game. Life that doesn’t fall into a system.
Ronaldo, upset by the decision, walked out of the Portugal national team and left Copenhagen before the game where they beat Denmark.
