Former England striker Bothroyd tells Ronaldo you’ll never be Messi at the 2026 World Cup.

Former England international Jay Bothroyd has stated that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will never reach the level of Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

Bothroyd urges Ronaldo to withdraw from Portugal’s FIFA World Cup starting XI, arguing that he cannot perform at the same level as his long‑time rival Messi.

He says the 41‑year‑old Al‑Nassr forward is constantly chasing the Barcelona legend yet never comes close.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Bothroyd said, “I have to be honest, I think if Ronaldo is a team player, I think he should step down and understand that he has to be a player that comes off the bench as an impact player. Is he ever going to do that? Nope, I don’t think he is. And that is my point.”

“I look at Ronaldo and… the Ronaldo faithful are going to hate me today, but it looks like it’s all about him, yeah? You know, and he’s always chasing Messi all the time.”

“He is never going to be Lionel Messi, but what he has throughout his career, he’s made the absolute most out of his career.”