sebastian ☹️

[Appie Culé @appiecule]

I’m going to take my time with this one. If you’re busy, save this post and read it later. If you’re a night owl like me, this is a good late-night read.

Do you know the worst thing about Cristiano Ronaldo?

It’s that he set the standards for what defines a legend… and in the end, he couldn’t even live up to the standards he created himself.

After winning Euro 2016, Ronaldo said:

“You can’t become a legend until you win a trophy with your national team.”

It was an obvious dig at Messi.

Argentina had just lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, and Messi was going through the toughest period of his international career. Those words only added fuel to the fire.

Where was the respect for a rival, Ronaldo?

The surprising part was that social media completely embraced that narrative. Messi was labeled a bottler, while Ronaldo was declared the winner of the rivalry—at least in the media, not on the pitch.

Then Messi retired from international football, came back, won the Copa América, and suddenly they were level in major international trophies.

What happened next?

Ronaldo fans started saying that one Euro is worth more than a hundred Copa Américas, claiming there was no competition in South America. Not true—but that became the excuse.

Then Messi went on to win the World Cup.

This time, the excuses changed again.

They claimed FIFA had fixed the tournament for Messi. That the World Cup was scripted in his favor. They simply didn’t know what else to say.

Then Ronaldo himself came out with one of the strangest quotes imaginable:

“A legend’s career can’t be defined by just seven games.”

At first glance, it sounds reasonable.

But beneath it was another attempt to diminish what Messi had achieved.

Before the World Cup, they insisted it would be Ronaldo’s tournament. On paper, Portugal had a fantastic squad. If the manager couldn’t get the best out of them, that’s Portugal’s problem—not Ronaldo’s.

Yet that same Portugal squad wasn’t any weaker than the Argentina team Messi led to the 2014 World Cup final—the same team people mocked Messi for not carrying to the title.

Just a couple of days ago, Ronaldo said:

“The World Cup doesn’t define my career, whether I win it or not.”

A statement that directly contradicts what he had said years earlier, when he admitted that winning the World Cup would make him feel completely fulfilled.

Now you’re 41 years old, Cristiano.

By your own standards:

* You have 5 Ballon d’Ors, not 8.
* You have one European Championship, not two Copa América titles.
* You never won the World Cup.
* You have four European Golden Shoes, while Messi has six—even though you’re an out-and-out striker.

So what now?

Will you keep playing until the next World Cup and become the first player to appear in one at 45, hoping to finally win it?

If we judged you by the standards you created, you wouldn’t qualify as a legend.

Of course, nobody actually judges you that way. Everyone still recognizes you as one of football’s greatest legends.

The real mistake was comparing Ronaldo to Messi in the first place.

That rivalry was exaggerated from the beginning by the media and figures like José Mourinho.

Messi conquered every major trophy available to him, shattered records that once seemed untouchable, and at 39 years old he’s still competing with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland—the stars of the next generation—for the Golden Boot. And honestly, he could still win it.

What made Messi beloved by so many fans is that he never tried to diminish Ronaldo’s achievements.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, repeatedly made comments that many interpreted as attempts to downplay his greatest rival’s accomplishments—and that’s never an admirable trait.

Cristiano helped create a generation that thinks belittling other people’s achievements while constantly glorifying your own is a way to establish dominance.

Good bye. Ronaldo.

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

RT @MySportsUpdate: Just in: The #Titans and DT Jeffery Simmons have agreed to a 3-year, $105.8M extension, making him the NFL’s highest pa…

[Ace Junior @SanPedroAce]

No one cared all the Pitchers were hurt. No one cared we had fat old man Lynn pitching. No one cared we had to use a bunch of AAA guys.

No one cared. Jokes flew. Remember?

I hope our payroll reaches 5 Trillion. 2024 was not enough. I want to see you all suffer severely.

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

Dave Roberts, I’m sorry I ever disrespected you.

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

😭😭

[Stevie Dubs @SDubs35]

As an Angels fan, watching Ohtani this year has been like watching your ex leave you for a richer, more famous, much better-looking, and overall better person than you. And every day she’s on TV smiling and laughing and enjoying life way more than she ever did with you

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

I need a Dodgers WS because this Cowboys team is AWFUL

[Blake Harris @BlakeHHarris]

KIKÉ HERNANDEZ IS FOREVER A DODGERS LEGEND 💯

[Blake Harris @BlakeHHarris]

Miguel Rojas looked like he was struggling to walk

Put Tommy Edman at shortstop and put Kiké in center field

You know, the guy with a career October OPS of .900

Move them up in the lineup, move Smith and Muncy down and actually attempt to put your best lineup out there

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

when did we get so soft man

[James¹⁷¹⁸🎌 @ShotimeLAD]

Wait a minute. I've seen this episode before.

[kody @otanigoat]

Walker Buehler

[Dan @dangraphs_]

This janky ass dodgers team really finished with the best record in baseball 😭😭

[Defy @defytalkcowboys]

The year is 2045 the Cowboys still can’t stop the run and Kyle Shannahan’s grandson just beat them in the wildcard round

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

CeeDee Lamb plays football today!!!

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

bring out the brinks truck!!! @dallascowboys

[Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter]

Sources: Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb, who has been unable to land the type of contract extension that other wide receivers have, is not expected to report to training camp Wednesday with the rest of his team. Lamb is entering the last year of a deal scheduled to pay him $17.99 million this season.

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

@FCBarcelona sign Nico Williams, idc what it takes

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

@foolio_julio @drizzyys its so nice

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

it’s time to hang em up boss

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨🇲🇽 Mexican legendary goalkeeper Memo Ochoa will leave Salernitana at the end of the current season.

Ochoa, available as free agent as Italian club already signed documents to let him leave.

He’s ready for new chapter after featuring in 5 different World Cups.

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

@foolio_julio I been ready for the HC job since the 2010 WC

[sebastian ☹️ @sebassyolo]

@foolio_julio pls not Bayern