"They award him almost every foul" - When Barcelona legend Gerard Pique called out Cristiano Ronaldo for diving following 2018 game

Barcelona legend Gerard Pique once slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for a diving incident in a 2018 FIFA World Cup fixture. The match is well remembered for the legendary Portuguese scoring a hat-trick in the group stage clash against Spain.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the crowd during a group stage 3-3 draw against Spain held in the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on June 15, 2018. The match is often considered one of the best performances in his international career, as he scored a hat-trick, including one penalty kick.

In the fourth minute, Ronaldo won a penalty for Portugal after he fell while dribbling towards Nacho. The former Real Madrid superstar found the back of the net from the penalty spot before scoring again in the 44th and 88th minutes.

After the match, Spanish defender Gerard Pique took a dig at Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming he dived for the penalty. He said (via Reuters):

"Cristiano is very prone to diving and they award him almost every foul. We picked ourselves up again after a lot of problems because starting a World Cup by conceding a penalty in the second minute and going behind is difficult but we scored three goals and we have to be happy with how the game went."

Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick goal in the game also came after he won a foul due to a tussle with the retired Barcelona star. The Portuguese superstar delivered an impressive finish, with the free-kick becoming one of the most memorable goals in his illustrious career.

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When Barcelona legend Gerard Pique picked between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Ronaldo and Pique in Real Madrid CF v FC Barcelona - La Liga - Source: Getty

In a 2016 interview with BT Sport, former Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique shared his take on the age-old Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. At that time, he was teammates with Messi at the Camp Nou. The Spaniard said (via TNT Sports):

"I think that they are both amazing. We are talking about two of the best players, not just in the world, but the history of this sport. I always said that Messi has some talent that no one has. I mean, he has the ball and his speed controlling the ball. The ball doesn't go two meters far from his foot, it's always there. It's impossible to catch him, this talent I didn't see from anyone."

He added:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is such a different player, they are very different. He is tall, strong, he's really complete. He can do anything. He can do goals with the head, free-kicks, penalties, take one-on-one. But for me it's like Messi is not human, but Cristiano is the best of the humans."

Pique has clashed against Ronaldo multiple times in his career, with 28 of them being El Clásicos (Barcelona vs. Real Madrid). The Portugal international won seven times, lost 14 times, and drew another seven times against the defender.