World Cup 2026: Ex‑England striker Bothroyd tells Ronaldo he’ll never be Messi

Former England international Jay Bothroyd has stated that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will never be comparable to Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

Bothroyd suggests that Ronaldo should not occupy a starting spot in Portugal’s FIFA World Cup squad, arguing that he cannot deliver in the same way as his long‑time rival.

According to the former striker, the 41‑year‑old Al‑Nassr forward is always chasing the Barcelona legend but 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… 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.”