Otherwise built on socialist ideals, football has long been rendered a capitalist enterprise by talent. Its icons have persistently challenged the notion that, with a ball at their feet, all men are equal — some are simply more equal than others. Consequently, attention is never evenly distributed. Diego Armando Maradona was not the leading goal-scorer in the 1986 World Cup, and neither was Pele in any of the three editions he was triumphant at. On Tuesday, three men demanded attention — Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Why they did so was vindicated by their performances — seven goals among the triad. On Wednesday, the spotlight fell on Cristiano Ronaldo, when Portugal faced DR Congo in Houston. In a 1-1 draw, he cut a disappointing figure. That, he is still competing at the grandest stage of the sport, is a testament to his commitment. At 41 years and 10 months, Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player to compete at a World Cup, and the second oldest overall, behind only Craig Gordon — the Scottish …