Lionel Messi was booed by Paris Saint-Germain supporters on Sunday. A day earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick for Manchester United and swapped G.O.A.T. talk with NFL icon Tom Brady in a post-match meeting of the greats at Old Trafford, conveniently in full glare of the cameras on the pitch so that the whole world could see it.
Those two moments in time could not have been more contrasting for two players who have dominated world football for the best part of 15 years. But appearances can be deceptive, and Ronaldo's virtuoso performance in front of Brady masks the reality of his time at Old Trafford since returning to the club, 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid, from Juventus last August.