Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the greatest footballers of all time. Both have achieved immense success and have won numerous awards throughout their illustrious careers. Despite their fierce competition on the field, Ronaldo shared his admiration for Messi in his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan late last year.
Speaking to Morgan, the Al-Nassr forward emphasized the deep level of respect between the two superstars, revealing that their families respected each other too (via Mirror):
“Amazing player, is magic, top… As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years. We share. So, I have great relationship with him. I’m not friend of him in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a teammate.
“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speak about me. Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they’re from Argentina. My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football.”
Lionel Messi is the only player in history to have won the Ballon d’Or award more times than Cristiano Ronaldo, with seven wins compared to Ronaldo’s five. The two have been rivals for a long time, having faced each other numerous times while playing for Real Madrid and Barcelona. This rivalry has notably been one of the biggest stories in football in recent years.
However, while the Portuguese has left Europe to ply his trade with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, his Argentine rival remains at Paris Saint-Germain.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are set to face off as Saudi all-star team play PSG in friendly
On Thursday, Cristiano Ronaldo will make his debut in Saudi Arabia and lead a Saudi All-Star XI team against Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly match. The 37-year-old has recently signed for Al-Nassr, and he was presented with the captain’s armband ahead of the match.
His team will consist of players from both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, showcasing the extent of the talent in the Saudi Arabian leagues.
The match will give Ronaldo the opportunity to come face-to-face with long-term competitor Lionel Messi. This could be the final confrontation of the two titans, who have together garnered 12 Ballon d’Or awards.
During their time in Spain, the two established a legendary rivalry, clashing in a multitude of El Clasicos for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively.