Almeria coach Francisco has suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo is preoccupied with personal glory, while his great rival, Lionel Messi, operates in the interests of the team.
Ronaldo this week picked up the 2013-14 Golden Shoe award he shared with former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez as the leading scorer in Europe’s leagues last season.
As the awards season gets underway, the Real Madrid forward has already begun accumulating personal accolades, including best player, at the La Liga awards ceremony for the 2013-14 campaign.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi scored twice in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League win at Ajax, putting him level with former Madrid striker Raul, as the tournament’s all-time top scorer on 71 goals. Ronaldo lies in thrid spot on the all-time list with 70.
Ronaldo is the leading scorer in Spain this season with a remarkable 17 goals in 9 La Liga appearances, while Messi is poised to break Telmo Zarra’s 60-year-old record as La Liga’s leading goalscorer in Saturday’s game at Almeria. He currently has 250 goals, one behind Zarra longstanding record.
Francisco told AS he believed the Argentina captain was less concerned about individual matters than his rival in Madrid.
“Messi will be appreciated by all the teammates he has had in his professional life,” he said.
“The only person I know who gets happy over individual prizes, and he said it himself a week ago at [the Spanish League] gala, is Cristiano Ronaldo. He is very good – and he would have to be very good to say that.”
Cristiano Ronaldo collecting the Golden Shoe award in Madird this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gld4yugVcEg
