"Lionel Messi must be sitting in Qatar in his camp laughing" - Tim Sherwood says Cristiano Ronaldo has tarnished Manchester United legacy after Piers Morgan interview

According to former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has "tarnished his legacy" after the forward's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan. He added that Ronaldo's revelations about the inner dealings at Old Trafford have made him lean towards Lionel Messi in the eternal 'Messi vs Ronaldo' debate.

Cristiano Ronaldo sat down for a 90-minute interview with Morgan, which is yet to be fully released, but some snippets are out in the media. During the conversation, Ronaldo said that he had no respect for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, while also slamming the club for its poor infrastructure.

The Real Madrid legend also claimed that the United hierarchy were trying to push him out of Old Trafford and he felt 'betrayed'. The club have since released a statement noting that they would respond in due course.

Speaking to talkSPORT (via SportBible), Sherwood expressed disdain for Ronaldo's interview, noting that Lionel Messi would be laughing at the Portuguese forward. He opined that Ronaldo's choice of interviewer and medium was more surprising than the claims he made.

Sherwood said:

“I don’t think what Ronaldo is saying is groundbreaking, I really don’t. I think it’s more groundbreaking the fact that he’s come and said it so publicly and obviously done it on a huge platform.

“He could’ve gone Oprah Winfrey or Piers Morgan -- he’s took the English option. I’m astounded that he’s come out and done it I really am, I think it tarnishes his legacy."

He added:

“I think the little man Lionel Messi must be sitting in Qatar in his camp laughing, looking at it from afar because when you ask players who the best players are to have played the game, it’s either Messi or Ronaldo, it’s a toss-up.

“But my unconscious bias is now drifting towards Lionel Messi, just on top of this, which is a shame really.”

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Lionel Messi has impressed for PSG while Cristiano Ronaldo has struggled at Manchester United this season

Messi and Ronaldo have long been pitted against each other over the last decade, while the duo have played in the Spanish top tier with Spain's two biggest teams. They have now left La Liga, plying their trade in France and England, respectively. While Lionel Messi has been a vital piece of the attacking trident at PSG, things have gone south for Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United this term.

The former Barcelona man has enjoyed a thrilling start to the season, racking up 10 goals and seven assists in 13 league games. He is also set to lead Argentina in Qatar, where they are widely expected to enter the knockout stages of the World Cup.

The former Juventus man, on the other hand, has struggled to cement a slot in the starting lineup at Old Trafford this season. In 10 Premier League appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just once, with two goals coming in the Europa League. However, he will be hoping to exceed expectations and take Portugal far in the World Cup.