Two tears, the same stadium, completely different reactions. That was enough for the 2026 World Cup to be filled with comparisons between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, just as both were crying in front of the cameras.
While Messi’s face moved freely, brows furrowed, expression broken, social media users noticed something different in Cristiano. A rigidity that many already knew from other appearances. Those images were enough to revive old speculation about Botox, a treatment the Portuguese player has never confirmed or denied.
It is not the first time that this type of comment has surrounded football stars. Neymar Jr., Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé have also faced the same suspicions at different times, without any of them giving an official response. In the end, an emotion as human as crying once again opened the conversation about what lies behind a perfect face.
