Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo featured in the FIFA Team of the Year game squad which was announced and there was surprisingly no Lionel Messi.
Updated : Jan 23, 2021, 11:33 AM IST | Edited by : Siddharth Vishwanathan
Cristiano Ronaldo has been enjoying a dominant last couple of days when it comes to football. His goal in the Italian Super Cup win for Juventus officially made him the highest goal-scorer in the history of football with 760. His goal helped Juventus win the Italian Super Cup for a record eighth time and the accolades have not stopped pouring in for the Portugal superstar. The 760th goal has pushed the debate of who is the greatest footballer in the current generation slightly in favor of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, for Lionel Messi fans, their frustrations have boiled down to the fact that their favorite player has once again pipped to the post by Cristiano Ronaldo in this latest development.
In an announcement made on the FIFA Team of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo has featured in the best players of the year along with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin de Bruyne, Virgil van Dijk, Manuel Neuer, Sergio Ramos and others but surprisingly there is no Lionel Messi. This has not gone down well with many football fans. They have also stated that Dani Alves was also a worthy inclusion and they have expressed their displeasure on social media.
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Not a good time for Lionel Messi
While Cristiano Ronaldo has been enjoying massive success, Lionel Messi has been at the other end of the spectrum. During Barcelona's Spanish Super Cup against Elche, Lionel Messi lashed out at substitute Asier Villalibre and he was handed a straight red card. This was the first red card in the career of Lionel Messi in Barcelona. Although the club appealed the two-match ban decision, the Spanish Football Federation upheld the decision and Lionel Messi might make a comeback in the match against Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid is on top having a seven-point lead over Real Madrid while Barcelona is a further three points behind their rivals in the third position. For Cristiano Ronaldo's team, following their win in the Italian Super Cup, they will be aiming for a resurgence in Serie A as they are currently fifth in the points table, having lost two out of their last five games. AC Milan and Inter Milan are in the top two followed by Napoli and Roma.