Gary Lineker believes Cristiano Ronaldo should have been given a national-team farewell as dignified as the one Lionel Messi received with Argentina.
The former England striker was speaking at the “Sports Industry Leaders Week” conference at Stamford Bridge in London, 24 hours after Ronaldo published a lengthy statement explaining his sudden departure from Portugal’s national team training camp.
In the post, Ronaldo accused Portugal coach Jorge Jesus of breaking promises.
Messi, meanwhile, received an emotional send-off from Argentina supporters. He scored once and set up two goals in a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin, helping his side secure the win in front of a packed Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The occasion was marked by applause and songs, with the atmosphere providing a celebration of Messi’s career.
“I think it’s a bit of a shame because he was such a great player,” Lineker told reporters. “Ultimately, in five or 10 years, no one will remember the tension; they’ll only remember his greatness.
“But I think Messi’s farewell was really moving, and I feel Cristiano deserved the same treatment.”
The comments came against the backdrop of the long-running rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, who have dominated world football for more than a decade.
Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, while Ronaldo has claimed the award on seven occasions. However, neither player is regarded as a favourite to win this year’s prize.
Lineker praises Kane
Lineker also used his speech to praise England captain Harry Kane, who drew level with goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s national appearance record in the match against the Czech Republic.
Kane made his 125th appearance for England in that game and took his international goal tally to 91 as England won 3-0.
Lineker, who scored 48 goals for England, said Kane deserved to be regarded among the greatest players in the country’s history.
“I think he deserves to be on that list, perhaps alongside Bobby Charlton, or even Bobby Moore,” said Lineker. “Look at his accolades; it’s astonishing.”
The former England forward also highlighted the range of Kane’s game, arguing that the Bayern Munich striker offers more than his goalscoring ability.
“He’s not just a goalscorer, not just a box player like me; he’s much more than that,” Lineker said. “He can drop deep to get the ball, pass across the field, and score all kinds of goals with both feet and his head. He can do everything.”
