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England football great John Barnes has warned that Cristiano Ronaldo’s attitude could jeopardise Portugal’s chances in the World Cup knockout rounds, calling the situation an accident waiting to happen. In contrast, Barnes heaped praise on Lionel Messi for his humility and ability to bring the Argentina squad together, unlike Ronaldo, who, according to him, tends to cause friction when things don’t go his way.

Portugal and the Ronaldo dilemma

Barnes, a former England international, believes that Portugal face a serious issue regarding Ronaldo’s influence within the team. The Portuguese side moved into the knockout phase in second place with five points, behind Colombia, with their captain netting only two goals in a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.

Speaking in an interview with Betfred, Barnes suggested that Ronaldo’s immense self-confidence could disturb the cohesion within the squad. He said: “I’m looking at those Portugal players and man for man, they’re incredible footballers. Bruno Fernandes can create problems for the opposition and he believes he’s the most important player, but so does Cristiano Ronaldo and that’s a problem that the manager will have to overcome.”

An accident waiting to happen

The ex-winger cautioned that tensions could escalate quickly if the manager decides to bench Ronaldo in critical matches against elite opponents. Barnes also pointed out that Messi’s continued success could further aggravate Ronaldo’s frustration and increase the pressure on his teammates.

He explained: “He needs to decide against the top teams whether he’s going to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out, but that could become an issue, especially the better that Lionel Messi does, that’ll play on Cristiano’s mind and he’ll demand more from his teammates and become more upset if things aren’t going his way. I think it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

Messi’s leadership unites Argentina

Turning his attention to Argentina, Barnes said he was not surprised by Messi’s performances. The South American giants topped their group with maximum points, largely due to their captain’s six goals across three matches. Barnes highlighted the harmony within the Argentine camp, where mutual respect between players and their captain creates a strong sense of unity.

He remarked: “No, I’m not surprised with what he’s doing because he’s got the quality and he manages his games very well. The players accept him and he accepts the players, so Messi doesn’t have to run around too much, but his teammates don’t mind that because they love him as he’s humble and he respects them, so they’re actually playing for Messi, but with Portugal, it’s a bit different. I don’t think the players are quite happy with Ronaldo because the way he reacts when he doesn’t get the ball upsets the players, whereas Messi doesn’t upset his teammates.”

What lies ahead?

Portugal now face a crucial test as they prepare to take on Croatia in the Round of 32. The manager must make key tactical decisions regarding Ronaldo’s role to preserve team harmony and maintain their momentum.

Meanwhile, Argentina will look to sustain their form against Cape Verde, driven by a squad completely committed to Messi. The contrasting leadership approaches of these two icons could determine their countries’ destinies as the World Cup progresses.