Ronaldo hits back at Messi comparison

Portugal superstar and captain Cristiano Ronaldo hit back at his critics on Wednesday after some fans chanted "Messi, Messi" in allusion to his being outscored in La Liga by Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo (pictured) was profligate in the 3-2 win over Denmark in Lviv which kept his side's Euro 2012 dream alive and the chants - from the Danish supporters - soon came.

But he had a pithy riposte.

"Do you know what he (Messi) was doing this time last year? He was going out of the Copa America in the quarter-finals."

Both men, candidates for the 2012 Ballon d'Or accolade, have regularly been criticized for generally not showing their stellar club form at international level.

"Everyone has the right to miss chances, myself included," said Ronaldo - who has scored just five goals in 15 matches in major competitions for Portugal and who has yet to break his duck at Euro 2012.

"I would have liked to score, you know me, but I gave my all. The goals will come. The team won, that is what matters."

A stunning goal by substitute Silvestre Varela three minutes from time saw the 2004 finalist take the points after it had let slip a 2-0 lead as Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner drew the Danes level with two headers.

Goals from Pepe - with a superb header - and Helder Postiga, with his 20th goal for his country, had given the Portuguese a perfect start.

However, a series of terrible misses by Ronaldo had threatened to prove costly until Varela stepped up to save them just three minutes after coming on.

For Pepe it was not so much about personal satisfaction with his goal but more the overall benefit to the team.

"I had the luck to score against Turkey at the last Euro," said the 29-year-old Real Madrid defender.

"I was able to help once again my team, but the most important thing is the team. We showed a real willingness to sacrifice ourselves in order to win this match."

Agence France-Presse in Lviv, Ukraine