Cristiano Ronaldo took a swipe at Lionel Messi after being taunted by Denmark fans during Portugal's 3-2 victory over Morten Olsen's side in Lviv on Wednesday.

Danish supporters shouted the Argentine's name every time the Real Madrid star received possession and the 27-year-old attacker, who proved unusually profligate on the night, was asked about the chanting shortly after the full-time whistle.

"You know where he was at this time [last year]? Do you know? He was being eliminated in the Copa America, in his own country," Ronaldo said after the match. "I think that's worse, no?"

While Argentina were indeed eliminated in last summer's Copa America, they did not bow out until the quarter-final stages, at the hands of eventual winners Uruguay.

Portugal, meanwhile, would have been eliminated had they lost to Denmark but they will now go into their final Group B outing against Netherlands tied for second place with the Scandinavians on three points.

Ronaldo is regarded as Messi's only rival for the title of the greatest player in the world and is currently hoping to ruin the Barcelona forward's bid for a fourth successive Ballon d'Or.