FIFA have deleted a tweet about Lionel Messi after the Argentina superstar won the World Cup on Sunday.Argentina were crowned world champions for the first time since 1986 after defeating France on penalties following an enthralling final.Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for Les Bleus but that still wasn’t enough to earn France a second successive World Cup.Messi, who scored twice in the final, also converted his spot-kick in the shootout as Argentina secured a 4-2 victory on penalties.Lionel Messi after winning the World CupLUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after the team's victory in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

What did FIFA tweet about Messi?

As the tributes poured in for Messi after the final whistle, FIFA also got involved, tweeting: “The GOAT debate is settled. The ultimate prize is now part of the collection. The legacy is complete.”

While millions of football fans around the world were saying the same thing, FIFA’s tweet went down like a lead balloon for Cristiano Ronaldo’s hardcore supporters.

And following a backlash, that particular FIFA tweet about Messi has now been deleted.

“FIFA deleted this tweet after getting called out for being biased and receiving backlash,” @TimelineCR7, one of the biggest Ronaldo fan accounts on Twitter, wrote. “A professional account of the biggest football organisation in the world.

“It has always been Ronaldo vs the rigged system.”

FIFA's tweet about Messi

Let’s check out some more reaction from Ronaldo’s fans:

Are Ronaldo’s fans right to be angry with FIFA’s tweet?

You can understand why Ronaldo’s most loyal fans were irked by FIFA’s tweet.

Most would expect FIFA, world football’s governing body, to be relatively impartial.

Declaring Messi as the GOAT was always going to create a backlash. The same would have been true if the roles were reversed and they’d called Ronaldo the GOAT.

It’s not a huge surprise that the tweet in question was eventually deleted.

Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup trophy

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

That said, Messi is now unquestionably right up there alongside the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona when it comes to the GOAT debate.

In the eyes of many, he was already the greatest footballer of all time long before the 2022 World Cup.

But after inspiring his country to glory in Qatar at the age of 35, nobody can seriously argue that Messi isn’t one of the greatest footballers of all time.

The great man has absolutely nothing else to prove to anybody.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with teammates and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy after the team's victory during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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