Portugal’s Ronaldo dominates in Day 7 of World Cup — PHOTOS

The Associated Press

7 years ago

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo goes with the ball during the group B match between Portugal and Morocco at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the group B match between Portugal and Morocco at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Victor Caivano)

In this Sunday, June 17, 2018 photo, tourists visit the Motherland Calls monument which commemorates the victims of the Battle of Stalingrad, in which the Red Army turned back Nazi Germany’s army in Volgograd, Russia. Nearly 60 years since it changed its name to Volgograd, the Russian city once called Stalingrad and its bloody history loom large even in the midst of the fun and football of the World Cup. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Fans shout during the group E match between Costa Rica and Serbia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Sunday, June 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Iran’s Sardar Azmoun lies flat out in the ground after the end of the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Spain won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand, center, looks as Iran’s Ehsan Haji Safi collects the ball after Spain’s Diego Costa scored the opening goal during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Iran’s Saeid Ezatolahi, left, kicks to score a goal that was later disallowed during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Iran’s Omid Ebrahimi falls after being tackled by Spain’s Isco during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Spain’s Diego Costa, 3rd from right, tries to shoot during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Iran’s Saeid Ezatolahi, below goes to head the ball with Spain’s Sergio Busquets during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Uruguay’s Cristian Rodriguez, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Hatan Bahbir, right, challenge for the ball during for the group A match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in Rostov Arena in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Spain’s Sergio Ramos, top, and Iran’s Omid Ebrahimi challenge for the ball during the group B match between Iran and Spain at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

MOSCOW — Lionel Messi is going to have a hard time keeping up with Cristiano Ronaldo at this year’s World Cup.

Ronaldo has all of Portugal’s goals, a tournament-leading four so far, and has been getting in digs at Messi over an ad in which the Argentina great cuddles a live goat — the implication being that he’s the “GOAT,” an acronym for “greatest of all time.”

Messi had a penalty kick saved in a 1-1 draw with Iceland but gets his a chance to save some face when Argentina meets Croatia in Thursday’s marquee match. The Croatians knocked off Nigeria and would advance to the knockout stages with a win over the Argentines in Nizhny Novgorod in the late game.

Elsewhere, Denmark looks to beat Australia for its second win and to keep pressure on favored France, which won its opener and takes on Peru, which lost to the Danes.