Sports
Ronaldo congratulates Messi on World Cup win
Lionel Messi received congratulations from Brazilian star Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima after Argentina defeated France on Sunday in the World Cup final in Qatar.
Messi excelled in a six-goal thriller in which Kylian Mbappe of France scored a hat-trick to break a 3-3 tie after extra time. Argentina won the trophy after a 4-2 shootout victory.
After scoring seven goals, the 35-year-old seven-time Ballon d’Or won the Golden Ball award for the competition’s top player.
He also made history by becoming the first player to score in each round of the knockout stages since the tournament’s expansion to 32 clubs.
Ronaldo, the highlight of Brazil’s success at the 2002 World Cup, called the Argentine captain a “genius” in his congratulations on Twitter.
“Football of this type dispels any rivalry. I saw many Brazilians, and people from all over the world, cheering on Messi in this electrifying final,” Ronaldo wrote on Twitter.
“A farewell worthy of the genius who, far beyond being a World Cup star, led an era. Congratulations, Messi!”