Why did Quintus Lutatius Catulus disagree with Gaius Marius about credit for the victory over the Cimbri?

The disagreement between Gaius Marius and Quintus Lutatius Catulus regarding the victory over the Cimbri at the Battle of Vercellae in 101 BCE stemmed from Marius’ insistence on claiming the entirety of the credit for the success.12

Although the two commanders celebrated a joint triumph, significant animosity developed between them because Marius asserted that the victory was his alone. In response to this, Catulus—along with Lucius Cornelius Sulla—provided conflicting accounts of the battle in their respective memoirs to challenge Marius' narrative. This dispute was exacerbated by the fact that Catulus had initially suffered a serious setback against the Cimbri before Marius arrived to support him, leading to a unified effort that ultimately ended the threat. Following this conflict, Catulus aligned himself with Marius' political rival, Sulla.12