Referee Said Martinez stated that he feels more at ease officiating matches with Messi than with Ronaldo because Ronaldo tends to complain more.
However, the battle between CR7 and M10 fans shows no signs of cooling down. Not only comparing goal-scoring and assist records, but now the playing styles of these two superstars have also become a hot topic. Messi is praised for being calm and rarely contentious, while Ronaldo is criticized for complaining frequently. However, there is also an opinion that Messi’s demeanor is passive, while Ronaldo’s confidence is evident in his playing style.
Recently, this story continued to be fueled by an interview with referee Said Martinez. The Honduran referee had the honor of officiating matches featuring both Messi and Ronaldo. Said Martinez shared his thoughts on this duo.
“They are completely different types of players, but I have to admit they are both the best. Honestly, I feel more comfortable refereeing Messi’s matches. He is a player who only thinks about the ball and doesn’t care much about what’s going on around. With Ronaldo, he expresses himself a bit more. Of course, I don’t think Ronaldo lacks respect for referees.”
“I still remember the match I officiated where Messi played. Before the game, we shook hands and exchanged greetings. When the match ended, Messi came up to shake hands and thank me while the crowd was still cheering his name in the stands. I will always remember that moment.”
“As for Cristiano, my impression of him is the complaints. He came up to me to complain about me disallowing 2 of his goals. Even with VAR, he didn’t believe it. Before the second half started, I called Ronaldo over and told him straight up that I didn’t like his way of expressing himself. Cristiano immediately apologized and agreed with me on that mistake.”
“After that, he focused entirely on playing football and scored from a free-kick to help his team win. I felt very happy and honored to witness firsthand these two superstars scoring superb goals from a free-kick,” the Honduran referee added regarding his personal impressions of the two.
