Gary Neville and Carra championed the propaganda on Sky Sports, with Paul Scholes backing them with innuendos about those talks after that season ended. Disgraceful bunch.
We would all learn what Environmental Impact Assessment is, whether by fire or by force. The elephant project called the coastal road, and the continuous sand filling of water bodies across the state would cause more floods until the entire state sinks.
This right here was the turning point in the GOAT debate, and it perfectly sums up the Ronaldo vs. Messi dynamic.
There is a fundamental asymmetry in how both sides operate. Ronaldo fans are generally content with their preference; they back their man and leave it at its that. But engaging with the typical Messi fan feels entirely different, there is a distinct, missionary smugness to it.
To them, supporting Ronaldo isn't just a differing opinion; it’s treated as an intellectual failure, a literal scandal. Their arrogance doesn't stop at mere preference; it’s a collective superiority complex that actively seeks to manufacture a narrative and enforce it as absolute truth.
That’s why the narrative surrounding the 2022 World Cup felt so hollow. The overwhelming sentiment, even from the footballing hierarchy, was that Messi "deserved" a World Cup. But nobody deserves anything in sports, especially when what previously held you back wasn't injury, but your own failure on the pitch.
Once the sport decided a player "deserved" a specific outcome, the integrity of the game took a backseat. It all stems from the immense pity his brief, calculated retirement garnered. That moment sent alarm bells ringing across the Messi fanbase, triggering a frantic need to secure his legacy. Coupled with the existing condescending, righteous rage of a fanbase that believes their icon is untouchable, it completely altered the dynamic; transforming them from sports fans into political or religious zealots enforcing a dogma.
Thankfully people are waking up to it. 🙏🏾
The difference between Messi and Ronaldo is that when Ronaldo scores, the world talks about Ronaldo; wen Ronaldo doesn't score, the world still talks about Ronaldo; wen Messi doesn't score, the world talks about Ronaldo; wen Messi scores, the world continues to talk about Ronaldo