"I didn't imagine him leaving" - When Lionel Messi commented on Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid
Lionel Messi had once commented on Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid. The Argentine icon and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of football's greatest players whose rivalry has lasted over a decade. The rivalry gained more momentum after the Portuguese superstar joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009.
LaLiga became home to two of football's biggest stars, and they went head to head for everything, from goals to trophies, statistics, and Ballons d'Or. However, in the summer of 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo bade farewell to Los Blancos, completing a shocking reported €117 million move to Juventus. In an interview with Catalunya Radio in 2018, Lionel Messi commented on Ronaldo's exit from Real Madrid.
The Barcelona legend admitted that he was surprised about the Portuguese icon's exit, citing that his absence made Los Blancos a less good team. He said (via Sportstar):
"Real Madrid are one of the best teams in the world and they have a great squad. [But] it's evident that the absence of Ronaldo makes them less good and makes Juventus [one of the] clear favorites to win the Champions League."
"It surprised me [when he left]. I didn't imagine him leaving Madrid or joining Juventus. There were a lot of teams that wanted him. It surprised me, but he has gone to a very good team," Messi added.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi faced each other 29 times while playing for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, with the latter recording 14 wins, seven draws, and eight losses over the former.
Both players are now in the twilight of their careers. The Portuguese plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, while the Argentine is with Inter Miami in the Major Soccer League (MLS).
How have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fared after leaving Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively?
Cristiano Ronaldo ended his nine-year stint with Los Blancos in 2018, joining Serie A giants Juventus. While he failed to help them win the UEFA Champions League, the 39-year-old led the club to two league titles, scoring 101 goals and creating 22 assists in 134 games for the club.
He returned to Manchester United for a second stint in 2021, but left the club midway in the 2022-23 season after falling out with the club's board and former manager Erik ten Hag. The Portugese icon joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr on a free after his contract with the Red Devils was terminated by mutual consent.
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, left Barcelona in 2021 after failing to pen a new contract with La Blaugrana. He joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as a free agent, spending two season at the club and winning two Ligue 1 titles.
Following the expiration of his contract with PSG in 2023, he signed for Inter Miami and has led the Herons to win the Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporters' Shield.