Ronaldo
Attacker · #0 · Brazil · 49 yrs
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‘Even with Messi, Argentina couldn’t match Spain,’ says Ronaldo about the 2026 World Cup final
Ronaldo spoke about the huge gap between Spain and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, where even with Lionel Messi on the field, the South Americans couldn't do anything. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final to claim the second title in its history. Few imagined a final in which the Europeans would dominate from start to finish, but Ronaldo Nazario was one of the few to correctly call the outcome of the game. The Brazilian legend had predicted during one of his TikTok livestreams that Spain would beat Argentina “easily,” and while the final scoreline didn’t reflect a blowout, he insists the gap on the field told a different story. With the result now in the books, Ronaldo revisited Spain’s win, standing by his original assessment of the match. “It was a historic day for the sport because Spain dominated from start to finish, just like I expected. The goals didn’t come for Spain, and they didn’t win by the margin I expected and that they deserved, but it was complete control throughout the entire match. It was a beatdown,” Ronaldo said on his TikTok account. The Brazilian didn’t stop there, pointing to the disparity in quality he saw between the two finalists, even accounting for Argentina’s biggest individual weapon, Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi after receiving the silver medal. (Getty Images) “The gap in quality between Spain and Argentina is huge. Even with Messi, they couldn’t match them. Argentina fought with a lot of heart, which was their strength throughout the whole tournament. A talented player can win you a match, but you need the strength of a team to win a World Cup, like Spain did. Playing as a collective, everyone matters,” he added. Ronaldo’s blunt take on Argentina’s style Ronaldo didn’t hold back when describing how Argentina played across the entire World Cup, drawing a sharp contrast with Spain‘s approach. “They never played good football, they only fought with a lot of heart, they didn’t play beautifully,” he explained. On the other hand, the legend praised Spain’s style of play, noting that it has surpassed Brazil’s Jogo Bonito. “Spain has a footballing DNA, a beautiful style of play. Brazil’s Joga Bonito has been surpassed, and the way Spain plays now is the best there is,” Ronaldo continued. Ronaldo backs Rodri for the Ballon d’Or The Brazilian also made his case for who should take home this year’s Ballon d’Or, pointing to Rodri as the clear favorite. Spain’s captain was the clear leader of the 2026 World Cup-winning side, and he’s now the only active central midfielder to have won the Ballon d’Or, the World Cup and the European Championship while being named the best player of both tournaments. “He’s the number one candidate to win the Ballon d’Or. He was Spain’s standout player at this World Cup, and that carries a lot of weight when it comes to winning the Ballon d’Or. He can win it again,” Ronaldo said about Rodri.
Simon: Spain did not need a star like Messi, Mbappe or Ronaldo to win World Cup
Having won the World Cup Golden Glove following Spain's final win, Unai Simon praised La Roja for overcoming other teams' star power. The post Simon: Spain did not need a star like Messi, Mbappe or Ronaldo to win World Cup appeared first on SoccerNews.
List of World Cup Golden Ball winners: Every tournament MVP in soccer history
The list of players who received the Golden Ball as the best player of the competition. While the main goal for every player at the World Cup is to lift the trophy, individual awards also carry great prestige because the tournament features the best players in the world. The Golden Ball is awarded to the best player of the tournament, with the winner voted by media representatives from a shortlist selected by FIFA’s Technical Study Group. The list of winners features a remarkable group of players, even if some all-time greats such as Pelé never received the award. That had nothing to do with his performances, as the Golden Ball was only introduced in 1982. Unlike most individual awards, the players finishing second and third in the voting also receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball, respectively. The award has been won by some of the greatest players in soccer history, with Lionel Messi remaining the only player to receive it twice. Even goalkeepers have their own positional honor, the Golden Glove, they are also eligible for the Golden Ball. Oliver Kahn remains the only goalkeeper to win the tournament’s MVP award after doing so in 2002. Golden Ball winners World CupGolden BallTeam’s finishChampion1982Paolo Rossi (Italy)ChampionsItaly1986Diego Maradona (Argentina)ChampionsArgentina1990Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)Third placeWest Germany1994Romário (Brazil)ChampionsBrazil1998Ronaldo (Brazil)Runners-upFrance2002Oliver Kahn (Germany)Runners-upBrazil2006Zinedine Zidane (France)Runners-upItaly2010Diego Forlán (Uruguay)Fourth placeSpain2014Lionel Messi (Argentina)Runners-upGermany2018Luka Modrić (Croatia)Runners-upFrance2022Lionel Messi (Argentina)ChampionsArgentina2026Rodri (Spain)ChampionsSpain*In 1978, a group of journalists voted Mario Kempes as the tournament’s best player after Argentina won the title. Paolo Rossi and Dirceu finished second and third, respectively. FIFA recognizes this unofficial award in its records.
Brazil legend Ronaldo pleads Neymar to rethink international retirement
Neymar announced his international retirement after Brazil's World Cup exit, but Ronaldo Nazario believes the decision was made rashly. The post Brazil legend Ronaldo pleads Neymar to rethink international retirement appeared first on SoccerNews.
Real Madrid ace Mbappe backed for Ballon d’Or by French legend: ‘Closest thing we have to a new Ronaldo’
Speaking to MARCA, former Real Madrid and France midfielder Claude Makelele has praised Kylian Mbappe, tipping him for the Ballon d’Or and calling him the closest thing in modern football to Ronaldo...
