Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has received scathing criticism from former Al-Hilal coach Emiliano Diaz, who dismissed any comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, reported by goal.com.

Despite scoring 14 goals and providing two assists during his first season with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo's performances fell short of expectations, as his team ended the campaign without winning any trophies. Diaz, who had first-hand experience of facing Ronaldo's Al-Nassr side during his time at Al-Hilal, did not hold back in his assessment of the Portuguese forward. In an interview with TyC Sports, Diaz stated, “He had a hard time. With the big clubs, he made no difference. He scored three or four goals against small clubs, and I saw people talking about him here. He lost the Kings Cup, he lost the Super Cup, and the tournament. In Asia, he is not going to compete.”

While Ronaldo faced criticism from Diaz, his eternal rival Lionel Messi could be on the verge of joining him in the Gulf State. Reports suggest that Al-Hilal is close to securing a record-breaking deal for the Argentine, who is approaching free agency from Paris Saint-Germain. When it comes to comparing Ronaldo and Messi, Diaz left no room for doubt, saying, “No, in no way, not as a footballer. There is no comparison. We faced him less than three months ago, and I watched Messi at the World Cup. We are talking about light years of comparison. There is no comparison, but the numbers support him. He is an animal. But in terms of quality, there is no comparison to Leo.”

While Messi's potential move captures attention, Ronaldo has returned from supporting charitable initiatives in Singapore, where he assisted his long-term friend Peter Lim. He has also been included in Portugal's squad by manager Roberto Martinez for upcoming matches against Bosnia and Iceland later this month.

As Ronaldo faces criticism from former Al-Hilal coach Diaz, the debate between Ronaldo and Messi continues to captivate football fans around the world.