New Delhi, Oct. 7 -- On the day Lionel Messi retired from international football to an entire country bowing down to him in gratitude, Cristiano Ronaldo had to issue a 1,700+ words statement to the Portuguese media regarding the fallout between him and Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, which led to his abrupt departure from the national team squad.

The stories of the international careers of these two icons of the game could not have been more contrasting, but this time around, the comparison is not limited to Messi alone, as Ronaldo has pulled up the names of two other greatest players of the game, Pele and Maradona, in the statement that he shared.

Ronaldo shared a list of statements that Jorge Jesus had agreed to say at a press conference,...