Cristiano Ronaldo aims subtle dig at Lionel Messi after Man United great marks new milestone

Cristiano Ronaldo has seemingly aimed a dig at Lionel Messi after claiming his Euro 2016 triumph with Portugal is "equivalent to winning a World Cup".

The former Manchester United star netted his 900th career goal during Portugal's Nations League win over Croatia on Thursday, reaching this milestone before Messi (867) ahead of turning 40 at the start of next year.

Ronaldo, who remains in top physical condition, may have hopes of starring for his country at one final tournament when the 2026 World Cup comes around, something he is yet to rule out. The 39-year-old featured at Euro 2024, though this ended in a quarter-final defeat by France.

The World Cup remains the one trophy that has eluded Ronaldo, who has won the Euros and Nations League with Portugal, while Messi has lifted both the Copa America and World Cup. Many have argued the latter gives Messi the edge in the head-to-head comparison between the players, though Ronaldo was keen to issue a reminder over his 2016 success with the Seleção.

"Portugal winning Euros is equivalent to winning a World Cup," he asserted. "I've already won two trophies for Portugal that I really wanted. I'm not motivated by that. I'm motivated by enjoying football and the records come naturally." This statement has been interpreted by some supporters as a veiled swipe at his long-term rival Messi, who was instrumental in Argentina's 2022 World Cup win in Qatar.

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Reflecting on his latest achievement, Ronaldo remarked: "Only me, and the people around me know how difficult it is to work