Naïr Tiknizyan Explains the Important Role of Ronaldo and Messi Apart from Goals
June 20, 2026 · Global
Naïr Tiknizyan emphasized the importance of Ronaldo and Messi to the team, noting their role in the psychological stability of the players.
Serbian defender of the Crvena Zvezda team, Naïr Tiknizyan, emphasized that Portuguese striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Argentinian striker, Lionel Messi, play an important role in providing psychological stability to their teammates. On Wednesday, June 17, the Portuguese national team played against the DR Congo team in the first match of the 2026 World Cup group stage, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes, but did not score a goal. Meanwhile, the day before, Messi scored a hat-trick in the match against Algeria which ended with a score of 3-0. Both players are participating in the World Cup for the sixth time. "Ronaldo and Messi are a guarantee of positive psychological moments for teammates. When great players like them are on the pitch, you know that in difficult situations they can take over and change the course of the match," said Tiknizyan in the program "All in the Match!" on Match TV. The 2026 World Cup takes place in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The Argentine national team is the defending champion.