By Pratyasha Sarkar

Copyright sportskeeda

Cristiano Ronaldo made a telling gesture towards Al-Riyadh fans who were chanting Lionel Messi’s name during Al-Nassr’s 5-1 win over them in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo scored a brace in the match on September 20, shutting down his naysayers. It is a common practice among fans to chant Lionel Messi’s name during Cristiano Ronaldo’s matches, especially in the league. Ronaldo has faced this multiple times since joining Al-Nassr, while Messi has also been subjected to the same treatment from rival fans during his time at Inter Miami. The two icons’ legendary rivalry marks a unique era in football, where they dominated the sport for the last two decades. In a video circulating on X shared by user @Ali_alabdallh, Cristiano Ronaldo is seen shutting down Al-Riyadh fans chanting Lionel Messi’s name. The legendary Portuguese scored twice (33′ and 76′), leading Al-Nassr to a 5-1 win. After scoring, Ronaldo is seen questioning the fans through hand gestures, asking them why their chants of Messi’s name stopped. Watch here:Cristiano Ronaldo has had an impressive start to the season, scoring four times and setting up another in five appearances across competitions for Al-Nassr. The Knights of Najd have secured three out of three wins in the Saudi Pro League so far, leading the table with nine points. The Portuguese icon will do his best to lead the club to silverware this year, after missing out on it in his first two seasons in Saudi Arabia. Alexis Mac Allister responds when asked if Lionel Messi winning the World Cup ended the GOAT debate with Cristiano RonaldoMac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Messi (L to R) – Source: GettyIn a recent interview with TNT Sports Football, Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister was asked about the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The interviewer asked if he believes Messi winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 ended his comparisons with Ronaldo, proving him to be superior. Mac Allister, who plays alongside Messi for the Albiceleste, answered:”I don’t think there was a debate even before but maybe it’s because I’m Argentinian, and with this I mean I really respect Cristiano. I think he’s the second-best in the world, and he’s been amazing. I don’t want to sound like I disrespect him, but for me, Messi is the best and there will be no one like him.”Despite the legendary Argentine winning the World Cup, football fans will perhaps always remain divided over who is the better footballer. Many prefer Cristiano Ronaldo’s unparalleled work ethic, diverse club career, and lethal goal-scoring abilities. Others rank Lionel Messi higher owing to his natural talent, a higher number of titles, and other individual achievements. Irrespective of personal preferences, both Messi and Ronaldo remain two of the greatest players to grace the beautiful game. Their era of dominance will perhaps remain unmatched for years to come.