Messi didn’t perform against Spain in World Cup final – Costa defends Cristiano Ronaldo

Why This Matters

Key context: <img width="1200" height="720" src="https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi.jpg 1200w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi-1000x600.jpg 1000w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi-590x354.jpg 590w, https://dailypost.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ronaldo-Messi-400x240.jpg 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><p>Former FC Porto defender, Ricardo Costa, has defended Cristiano Ronaldo’s position in the Portugal national team. Costa insisted that Ronaldo should be recognized for competing at the highest level during the 2026 World Cup tournament. Speaking to Portuguese outlet, O Jogo, the former Portugal international noted that Ronaldo&#8217;s eternal rival Lionel Messi failed to perform [&#8230;]</p> <p><a href="https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/09/messi-didnt-perform-against-spain-in-world-cup-final-costa-defends-cristiano-ronaldo/">Messi didn&#8217;t perform against Spain in World Cup final &#8211; Costa defends Cristiano Ronaldo</a></p> This development from dailypost.ng highlights ongoing changes in the sector.