"Don't be embarrassed now!" - When Cristiano Ronaldo got his son to meet Lionel Messi
A heartwarming video of Cristiano Ronaldo getting his eldest son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, to meet his arch-rival Lionel Messi has re-emerged.
Ronaldo and Messi are undoubtedly two of the greatest players of all time. Having won 12 Ballons d'Or awards between them, they share a fierce rivalry and have dominated the footballing discourse for nearly two decades.
It's a testament to their greatness that Ronaldo and Messi occupied the top two spots in the race to win the Ballon d'Or on nine occasions. The 2014 edition of the award was one such instance when they went head-to-head for the prestigious accolade.
Ronaldo emerged victorious after earning around 37% of the votes, while the then-Barcelona superstar finished second. One of the things that caught the fans' attention that day, though, was the heartwarming moment shared between Messi and his rival's son.
A video of the meeting was even shared by Real Madrid, who Ronaldo played for at the time, on their YouTube channel. In the said video, the now Al-Nassr superstar was seen urging Ronaldo Jr to greet Messi.
As the boy said hello to the Argentinian maestro, Ronaldo could be heard saying:
"He watched a video on the internet about us, and he talks about you."
Ronaldo Jr : "I always wanted to sit close to Lionel Messi but when I got the opportunity to sit down next to him i was a bit scared to talk with him, I just kept looking at him and he always smile at me" 🇵🇹🇦🇷 https://t.co/hfXPchpeT3
Ronaldo then goes on to tell his son not to be shy about meeting Messi, saying:
"Don't be embarrassed now!"
A lot is often said about the nature of the rivalry between the two greats. However, the moment shared between Messi and Ronaldo's eldest son displayed the respect they have for each other.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are nearing the end of their careers
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the major individual awards in the game for almost two decades. However, at 38 and 35, respectively, they are nearing the end of their illustrious careers.
The former Manchester United superstar has already had to move away from European football. He now plies his trade at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, who signed him on a two-and-a-half-year deal in December 2022.
Meanwhile, Messi is nearing the end of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain. There's still no clarity about where he could be headed if he leaves Les Parisiens this summer.
The former Barcelona superstar has been linked with a move to the United States and the Middle East. However, he reportedly prefers to continue playing in Europe.