There was media outrage last week as the World Cup Qualifying matches were being played. It was sparked by ESPN’s update about Messi and Ronaldo both stars scoring twice in their match for their national teams.
So, what really happened?
Well, last week Portugal played Armenia and Ronaldo found the net twice in the fixture which ended 5-0 in favour of Portugal.
That same week, Messi scored twice in Argentina vs Venezuela.
Now, you might be wondering how that sparked a debate or the controversy that has everyone talking.
Well, when these events happened, ESPN, who have been considered fanboys of Lionel Messi, made videos about both events.
For Ronaldo, the video was tagged “Ronaldo’s 2 Goals are not Enough” and for Messi, it was “Messi Still Has the Genius in Him.”
If this does not make you wonder, then you are either a newcomer to the world of football or you already have a favorite place in your heart for Lionel Messi.
And ESPN plays a huge role in this because they are not only showing games but also shaping how people think about two of the greatest football players that ever walked the earth.
You can clearly see that the side getting the brighter light almost every time is Messi.
From their posts on social media to their commentary to their interviews, you can always see that ESPN either tries to water down the achievements of Ronaldo or play it down as nothing.
Everyone can recall when an ESPN pundit said it was impossible for Ronaldo to score 800 goals as the striker celebrated scoring 700.
Fast forward today and he has scored 943 goals.
This is not about taking sides here but the fact that it is almost unnatural that anyone thinks Ronaldo is not as good he is.
Messi is always in the positive light and Ronaldo seems to be the fall guy. That is why the general consensus online is that ESPN is choosing Messi instead of leaving the debate balanced.
It is normal for media companies to know their audience and try to serve them or keep them happy. ESPN is not any different but they seem to be overdoing it.
Because they are based in America, you expect more fans who follow the media company to be Latin Americans bulk of whom are loyalists and supporters of Lionel Messi.
Football is growing in the United States and with cancel culture being popular, you can expect ESPN to be playing it safe with their Messi narrative over Ronaldo.
However, this should not instigate the level of hypocrisy they are exhibiting by trying to make Ronaldo look inferior in the GOAT debate. The Messi vs Ronaldo debate has continued to be a keenly contested debate, one that separates the world of football in two.
Both players are incredible but ESPN makes it look like Ronaldo is not worthy of any honor. If he breaks a record there is almost always a quick comparison like Messi did this first or Messi did that better and it waters down the story. Fans who have followed both careers notice this easily and that is why they shout about bias every time a new clip is aired.
The truth is that the Messi vs Ronaldo debate is not stopping anytime soon and the media is fueling it and brands like ESPN are solidly behind its propagation.
You will expect a media brand to stand neutrally but the bias is real.
For punters reading JeoTips the lesson is that bias should never be your only guide because what you hear from ESPN is not the full picture of football.
Being a news media, you will expect that their opinions will carry weight but with their subjective narratives about the teams and players they love, it is hard to see how authoritative and reliable their voice.
You may believe that Messi is the GOAT because he has won more Balon D’ors or because he has won the World Cup. others might feel Ronaldo’s goalscoring record makes him the best and the GOAT.
That does not impact anything and as the World Cup 2026 is about to begin, JeoTips is providing sure World Cup Predictions for fans today. We are covering all the games in the World Cup and providing the most accurate World Cup predictions.
