Cristiano Ronaldo is currently a better player than Lionel Messi because he is more driven and hungry for success, French defender Patrice Evra has said.

Speaking to his fans direct on Facebook Live, Evra said the Portuguese striker seemed to relish the pressure of expectation more than his Argentine rival.

"You look at Ronaldo and it's like he hasn't won anything. But he's won five Golden Balls!"

“Of course they both enjoy the pressure... but Ronaldo enjoys it more. He knows his teammates aren’t performing well and he just loves it. He’s like ‘I am the man’,”  Evra said as he walked around Moscow.

“When I watched Messi yesterday, you could see he was getting a bit frustrated.”

Nevertheless, the former French national team captain said that people were too keen to write off the Argentine no. 10.

“People should calm down and not criticise Messi so much,” he said. “Because he’ll bounce back. I know in the next few games he will perform well and save
Argentina. Don’t forget that if Argentina are at the World Cup, it is because of Lionel Messi.”

Evra also spoke affectionately of two of his former clubs, chanting “forza Juve” and also wishing Nemanja Matic well.

"Matic, I love you know – but only because you play for [Manchester] United. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t love you. Sorry."