Brazil football legend, Ronaldo Nazario, has admitted he set aside his country’s rivalry with Argentina to admire Lionel Messi, as they won the 2022 World Cup.
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Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-final stage after suffering a penalty shootout defeat by Croatia.
But after the final, Ronaldo posted a photo of Messi lifting the trophy on Instagram and wrote:
“This guy’s football throws any rivalry to the corner – even the historic one between Brazil and Argentina.
“I saw a lot of Brazilians and people from all over the world rooting for Messi in this electrifying final.
“A farewell worthy of the genius who, far beyond being a World Cup star, captained an era. I imagine my friend Diego’s party in heaven. Here, we are millions of all nationalities giving you a standing ovation. Congratulations Messi!”
Messi has now played his final World Cup match, having previously confirmed he would not be returning for the 2026 edition.