The former England striker says it is sad that Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal career appears to have ended in a dispute, days after Lionel Messi bowed out to an emotional ovation in Buenos Aires.
Former England striker Gary Lineker has said it is a pity that Cristiano Ronaldo's international career with Portugal looks set to end in a quarrel, rather than with the kind of send-off Lionel Messi received from Argentina.
Lineker was speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Leaders Week, a sports industry conference held at Stamford Bridge in London, in comments reported by Channel News Asia.
What happened
Ronaldo, 41, left the Portugal camp suddenly last week. On Tuesday he put out a long statement explaining the decision, in which he accused the national team coach, Jorge Jesus, of failing to keep promises he had made.
On the same day, Messi, 39, played his final match in Argentina's blue and white at home. He scored once and provided two assists in a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin, and was given an emotional reception by the crowd in Buenos Aires.
Lineker said that contrast was hard to watch, given what Ronaldo has achieved. Portugal's record scorer has 146 international goals.
"I think it's a bit sad because he's been so great," Lineker said, adding that in five or ten years nobody would recall the current row and would remember only how good Ronaldo was.
On Messi's exit, he said: "I think if you look at Messi's farewell, it was so beautiful. And I think Cristiano deserves the same."
The long rivalry
Ronaldo and Messi have spent much of their careers being measured against each other in the argument over the best player of their generation. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or, football's main individual prize, eight times. Ronaldo has won it five times. Neither is among the favourites for this year's award.
For Ghanaian fans, the two have been fixtures of weekend viewing in viewing centres from Accra to Kumasi, and in Ghanaian homes in the United States, for close to two decades. Their international exits effectively close a chapter for a whole generation of supporters.
Lineker's praise for Kane
Lineker also used the occasion to talk up England captain Harry Kane, who is in the running for this year's Ballon d'Or.
Kane equalled England's record for international appearances on Tuesday against the Czech Republic, reaching 125 caps to draw level with former goalkeeper Peter Shilton. He also scored in the 3-0 win, taking his England tally to 91 goals.
Lineker, who scored 48 goals for England himself, said Kane belongs in the conversation about the country's greatest players, alongside Bobby Charlton and possibly Bobby Moore. He echoed similar praise from England midfielder Jude Bellingham.
The former striker said Kane is more than a penalty-box finisher, pointing to his ability to drop deep, pass and score with both feet and his head.
