You’ve damaged your legacy, I feel sorry for you – Matthaus slams Ronaldo

Germany legend, Lothar Matthaus, has hit out at Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that the forward has damaged his legacy.

Matthaus, who said he felt sorry for Ronaldo, said the 37-year-old was a ‘big failure’ in the just concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, unlike his long-time rival Lionel Messi.

Recall that Ronaldo and Portugal exited the quarter-final stage of the World Cup after losing to Morocco, while Messi and Argentina lifted the trophy after beating France in the final on Sunday.

This is coming less than a few weeks after Ronaldo gave an explosive interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan in which he criticized Manchester United and their manager Erik ten Hag.

“With his ego trips, Ronaldo has damaged the team and himself,” Matthaus told Bild.

“There is no doubt that he was a great player and an absolutely lethal finisher. But now he has damaged his legacy.

“I find it hard to think that he can find a place in a team. I kind of feel sorry for Ronaldo.

“Ronaldo is, of course, a big failure at the World Cup, the opposite of Messi. [Lionel Messi is] the absolute winner. For me, Messi is the player of the millennium.”

Ronaldo is at the moment without a club after leaving Manchester United by mutual consent.