The rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is famous globally and will likely go down as one of the most legendary rivalries in the history of football.
This rivalry sparked strong opinions among fans, dividing them into two groups.
While, fans and expert often debated who was better, the players themselves always remained respectful towards each other throughout their careers.
Messi and Ronaldo undoubtedly are two of the best football players of their generation.
What did Messi say?
In a recent interview, Messi expressed sincere admiration for his longtime rival.
Messi said, “It’s always been a great battle in sporting terms. I think we’ve fed off each other with this rivalry because we’re both great competitors. He too always wanted to win all the time."
The eight-time Ballon'dOr winner further shared, “It was a golden era for us and for every football fan. We deserve a lot of credit for staying at the top for so long. Because, as they say, it’s easy to get there but what’s difficult is staying there."
“We stayed at the top for ten, fifteen years. It was a spectacular and remains a great memory for everyone,” the 37-year-old added.
Ronaldo shuts down rivalry rumours with Messi:
On the other hand, Ronaldo has also publicly expressed respect for Messi multiple times.
In a part of an exclusive interview with journalist Edu Aguirre for El Chiringuito, Ronaldo made it clear that, contrary to what some fans may think, he has a good relationship with Messi.
“I’ve never had a bad relationship with him; if anything, it’s the opposite,” Ronaldo revealed.
