"I never saw him as a rival" - When Cristiano Ronaldo opened up on his relationship with Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo's relationship with Lionel Messi has been of interest to football fans for several years, with many feeling they wouldn't get along due to their fierce rivalry. However, it seems that isn't true as the Portuguese himself once suggested that the pair share a cordial relationship.
It was during the 2021-21 season, with Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus and Lionel Messi's Barcelona drawn in the same Champions League group. With their rivalry back in the spotlight, fans were curious to know whether the pair got along.
During an interview with Movistar, Ronaldo shed light on his relationship with Messi, saying:
"I have always had a cordial relationship with Messi. As I have said before, for 12, 13, 14 years (I have been) sharing prizes with him. I never saw him as a rival. He always tried the best for his team, and I tried the best for mine.
"I always got on well with him. I am sure he will say the same if you ask him. But we know in football, people always look for a rivalry to create more excitement."
Barcelona and Juventus picked up one victory each from their two face-offs that season. Cristiano Ronaldo missed the first leg which the Blaugrana won 2-0 in Turin with Messi scoring once. The Portuguese, however, returned for the second clash at Camp Nou and inspired his side to a 3-0 win with two goals to his name.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi doing wonders this season
Age doesn't seem to be toiling with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi even at this stage of their careers, considering their level of performance in recent months. The duo have maintained their influence with club and country and it looks like they've got more tricks left in the bag.
Just this month, Lionel Messi made headlines after scoring back-to-back hat-tricks for club and country. This season, he's bagged 22 goals and 12 assists for Inter Miami in 22 games across all competitions and has been nominated for the MLS MVP award for the year.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has found the back of the net in each of his last four appearances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. So far, he's recorded nine goals and three assists in 11 games for the club across all fronts.