Cesc Fàbregas not convinced by Cristiano Ronaldo hype | OneFootball

Cesc Fàbregas has suggested people are getting carried away by Cristiano Ronaldo’s contribution to the World Cup.

Ronaldo followed up his hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw with Spain by netting the only goal in his side’s 1-0 victory over Morocco earlier this week, leading to talk that the 33-year-old has finally overtaken Lionel Messi as the world’s greatest footballer.

But Chelsea midfielder Fàbregas believes we shouldn’t read too much into Ronaldo’s four goals at this tournament due to the nature of how they were scored.

“These days, Cristiano Ronaldo has a very different role for Portugal – he mainly stays up front and you no longer see him running all over the pitch,” wrote the Spaniard in his BBC Sport column.

“He is one of the big names in Russia who has made a strong start to this World Cup, in terms of goals, with four so far.

“Yes, he is playing well, but if you really look at what he has done, he has scored one penalty, one free kick, one goal from a corner and one with a shot that David de Gea should have saved. You cannot say that he and Portugal have shown great combinations or tiki-taka football to score great goals.

“You have to give him credit, of course, but his goals have come from set-pieces, penalties or mistakes.”

Messi, meanwhile, missed a penalty in Argentina’s 1-1 draw with Iceland and was virtually anonymous as La Albiceleste were beaten 3-0 by Croatia on Thursday, but Fàbregas believes his former Barcelona team-mate shouldn’t be held completely responsible for his side’s struggles.

“It was a similar story for Messi against Croatia, but it was not all his fault,” he said.

“As I said in my TV analysis after Argentina’s defeat, they look like a broken team.

“So it is has been really difficult for him. He does not have the quality in behind him, when he needs someone who can help him build up the play.”

Argentina must beat Nigeria on Tuesday if they’re to have any hope of advancing from Group D, while Portugal face Iran in their final group game on Monday.