Brazilian centre-back Marquinhos is of the opinion that Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t limited by their nationality. Rather, they are assets to be treasured by the entire football world.
“I think what happens with these players is that Messi is not Argentine, Cristiano is not Portuguese…they go further than that. They are a privilege for football. For the people who love this sport, the tournaments, the competition, They’re a treasure. They don’t just belong to their countries.”
“We all enjoy their presence, watching them play. I’ve played with Neymar, with Messi, and I benefit from their presence. Life goes on, other generations will come, but we must enjoy it as much as we can,”
the Paris Saint-Germain defender stated, per Marca.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have made strong starts to their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaigns. The PSG striker has scored in both of Argentina’s games, against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and has also provided an assist in the latter.
During his team’s 3-2 win over Ghana, Ronaldo also managed to get on the scoresheet, converting from the penalty spot. He will attempt to repeat that feat against Uruguay on Monday.
In the process, Ronaldo, whose contract at Manchester United has been terminated recently, became the first player to score in five FIFA World Cups, while Messi became the first to assist in five.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s 35-year-old Messi and Poland’s 34-year-old Robert Lewandowski square off in the World Cup on Wednesday, with a place in the last 16 on the line.
Lionel Scaloni’s men sit second in Group C with three points, one point behind the Poles, and must win to advance and keep their dream of a third World Cup title alive. If Mexico and Saudi Arabia also end level, a draw would suffice for the South Americans.
