‘Doesn’t make sense’: Ronaldo brushes off Messi questions after Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan

Cristiano Ronaldo brushed aside questions about Lionel Messi after scoring twice in Portugal’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their second Group K match at the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday.

Fresh from a record-breaking performance that helped Portugal secure their first win of the tournament, the 41-year-old reflected on what he described as a difficult period following criticism after the team’s opening match. Ronaldo said the past week had felt particularly challenging, admitting it was almost as if he had already retired from football.

Despite renewed attention on the long-running Ronaldo-Messi debate, the Portuguese captain showed little interest in discussing his Argentine counterpart during his post-match media interactions.

A video that quickly spread across social media showed Ronaldo ignoring a reporter who began a question by referencing Messi’s latest performance. As the journalist mentioned Messi and Kylian Mbappe, Ronaldo turned away and invited another reporter to continue instead.

The rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi remains a major talking point even as both players continue to excel in the latter stages of their careers. While Messi has scored five goals in Argentina’s opening two matches at the tournament, Ronaldo responded to criticism by netting a brace against Uzbekistan after failing to score in Portugal’s opening game.

Ronaldo maintained a light-hearted mood when approached by another journalist seeking a question.

“That depends on the question, otherwise I won’t answer you,” he joked.

Asked about the possibility of facing Argentina later in the tournament, Ronaldo offered a brief response.

“I don’t know how to answer. It’s a question that doesn’t make much sense,” he said. “But, well, it would be top.”

As he prepared to leave the mixed zone, another attempt was made to ask him about Messi, but Ronaldo appeared uninterested in engaging further on the subject.

Argentina have already secured qualification for the Round of 32 after winning their opening two matches, while Portugal remain on course to advance. The Portuguese side have collected four points from their first two games and need a positive result against Colombia to guarantee progression to the knockout stage.