Regragui compares Portugal’s treatment of Ronaldo with Argentina’s ‘reverence’ for Messi

Former Morocco manager Walid Regragui has criticised the way Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation with Portugal has been handled, saying the forward’s contribution to the national team and the country’s football should not be overlooked.

Speaking on Football Club on Canal Plus, in comments published by Foot Mercato, Regragui said Ronaldo had played a major role in elevating Portuguese football and its players.

“Ronaldo has given a great deal. The status gained by many Portuguese players, as well as Portuguese football itself, is down to Cristiano,” he said.

Regragui added that Ronaldo’s achievements did not give him unlimited freedom, but argued that the latest stage of the dispute had been managed poorly.

“That does not give him the right to do whatever he wants, but I believe everything in this final phase happened in an unfortunate way,” he said. “I think they should have sat down with him and told him: ‘Listen, we have to stop here.’”

The former Morocco manager also questioned the circumstances surrounding Ronaldo’s relationship with the coach, noting that the manager had previously worked with the striker at his club, Al Nassr.

“On top of that, the coach is someone who has already worked with Ronaldo at Al Nassr, so they must have spoken beforehand about whether he would continue or not,” Regragui said. “Both sides have harmed themselves, and that is a shame.”

Regragui then compared Ronaldo’s position in Portugal with the way Lionel Messi is regarded in Argentina, saying the difference between the two situations was considerable.

He suggested Ronaldo may be motivated by the ambition to reach 1,000 career goals and could want to achieve that milestone while representing Portugal. However, he believed the situation had ultimately created a negative impression.

“I think Ronaldo, out of pride, also wants to reach 1,000 goals, and perhaps he wants to do that in a Portugal shirt,” Regragui said. “But the final result is that it gives a negative image.”

He argued that the dispute would not have unfolded in the same way in Argentina, where Messi is held in exceptional regard by supporters and team-mates.

“What I want to say is that this would never have happened in Argentina,” Regragui said. “The reverence Argentinians have for Messi, and the reverence the players have for him, is something I have never felt the Portuguese have shown towards Ronaldo at all.”

Regragui concluded that Argentina’s players had been willing to work and fight for Messi, including during their most recent World Cup campaign, whereas Portugal had not shown the same level of acceptance towards Ronaldo.

“The Portuguese have never wanted to run and fight for Ronaldo, while the Argentinians accepted doing that for Messi, even at the last World Cup,” he said. “In Portugal, however, this was never accepted at all.”