RE: Success and Failure
nobody really expects that much from Ronaldo because everyone is aware that save for him, Portugal is a b team, unless they play an amazing defensive football and stop allowing goals, I don't see them getting too far, Meanwhile if you see Argentina's squad you will see most of the players are in the best teams in the world, in the best leagues.
As for why does Messi not give his all for the team...I really can't answer that...maybe he doesn't feel he belongs?, he has spent a lot of his life in Barcelona, that's his house, that's who he owes everything...he never even played for an argentinian team before playing in Barcelona, so maybe he just doesn't have an emotional connection with the national team, unlike Ronaldo who wants to give Portugal the title and he gives his all every game
How will a good player like Messi not have that emotional connection ?? For crying out loud it's his national team, if his mind isn't with them then he shouldn't be there