Slovenia Fans Chant 'Messi' During Clash Against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at Euro 2024

• Cristiano Ronaldo was the target of Slovenian fans who aimed chants about Lionel Messi at him in the Round of 16 tie
• The 39-year-old has been on the receiving end of digs by opposing fans stemming from his rivalry with the Argentine
• Ronaldo has struggled to find his goal-scoring boots at Euro 2024, firing blank in all of Portugal's three group matches

Slovenian fans attempted to unsettle Cristiano Ronaldo during their Round of 16 match against Portugal at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt on Monday night, July 1.

The spirited supporters aimed to distract the Portuguese star while rallying behind their team with loud chants hailing his biggest sporting rival, Lionel Messi.

Slovenia aim 'Messi' chants at Ronaldo

Targeting Ronaldo, they drew inspiration from opposing fans in the Saudi Pro League, who often taunt the 39-year-old with chants of Messi, GOAL reports.

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In a video circulating on social media, spotted by Sports Brief, the Slovenian fans can be heard chanting 'Messi' at the veteran forward, hoping to get under his skin.

What happened after the 'Messi' chants?

In the final moments of the first half of extra time, Ronaldo stepped up for a penalty after Diogo Jota was fouled.

Despite having scored his previous 13 spot kicks for Portugal, Jan Oblak managed to deflect the ball into the post, leaving the Al-Nassr superstar visibly upset and in tears during the brief interval.

However, he ultimately had the last laugh, successfully converting his penalty in the shootout to help Portugal secure victory.

Ronaldo's long episode with 'Messi' chants

These 'Messi' taunts have historically been Ronaldo's kryptonite.

This was evident in a league game against Al-Shabab, where he reacted with an obscene gesture in response to similar provocations.

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According to Al Jazeera, this incident earned the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a one-game suspension.

Additionally, last April, Cristiano appeared to grab his groin area as fans chanted Messi's name while he was leaving the field after a game against Al-Hilal.

Ronaldo wows fans with ball-juggling skills

Sports Brief also reported that Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated remarkable dexterity and showmanship, wowing fans at the packed stadium with his ball-juggling skills.

In the video currently making the rounds on social media, the 39-year-old first showed his incredible elasticity by holding the ball mid-air with his favoured right foot.