Messi or Ronaldo? Denmark coach weighs in on the debate ahead of Nations League game vs Portugal

The decisive stage of the UEFA Nations League will begin this week. On Thursday, Denmark and Portugal will play one of the quarter-final duels, with the first leg at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadion, followed by the rematch on Tuesday in Lisbon. Before the match, coach Brian Riemer spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo and the comparison with Lionel Messi.

“I think Cristiano is still one of the most dangerous players you can face,” Riemer assured in a recent interview with O Jogo. “He’s also a great example for young people with his professionalism, the way he handles his body, and the way he’s been able to continue all these years at the highest level.”

On the constant comparison with Messi, the coach explained: “I think in the last three or four interviews I’ve done I’ve been asked: ‘Messi or Ronaldo?’” And he did not hesitate to reveal his choice: “For me, Cristiano Ronaldo every day! I have always admired this man… What a player!”

Riemer also referred to Ronaldo’s longevity as one of his greatest virtues. “I think he’s in great physical condition. He’s not the same as he was before; he’s a different soccer player now. But that doesn’t make him worse, he’s different, but he’s still a great player,” he explained. “We respect him a lot, and we’re looking forward to facing him.”

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Nations League, a big target for Portugal and Cristiano

While the UEFA Nations League may not carry the same prestige as the World Cup or the European Championship, it remains a significant goal for the eight teams that reached the quarter-finals. This week, Portugal star Diogo Dalot spoke about what it would mean for the team to help Cristiano Ronaldo capture another Nations League title.

“It would be amazing to see him win more titles with Portugal,” the Manchester United defender said. “I think all of us in the team would want to be alongside him when that happens.”

In his professional career, Cristiano Ronaldo has won two major titles with Portugal. The first was the UEFA European Championship in 2016, where they defeated France in the final. The second was the Nations League in 2018-19, the inaugural edition of the tournament, where they triumphed over the Netherlands in the final.

The quarter-final clashes of the Nations League

Thursday’s clash between Denmark and Portugal will be one of four matches in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. In Milan, Italy will host Germany, while in Rotterdam, the Netherlands will face Spain. The other match will take place in Split, where Croatia will host France. All second-leg matches will be played on Sunday afternoon.