"Messi does not look like this" - When Cristiano Ronaldo stood in front of the mirror and commented about his rival
Peter Crouch has recalled the time when Rio Ferdinand told him about how Cristiano Ronaldo would look in the mirror and compare himself to Lionel Messi.
There is perhaps no one in the world of football who is as competitive as Cristiano Ronaldo. Hailing from the streets of Madeira in Portugal, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the best players of all time.
Ronaldo has plied his trade for some of the top clubs in Europe like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. His performances on the pitch have seen him win the Ballon d'Or five times.
With strong determination, the forward has also forged a fierce rivalry with Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or twice more than him. Apart from producing his best performance on the pitch, Ronaldo is also known for taking extra care to look his best.
Crouch has now recalled how Ferdinand would tell him stories about Ronaldo's self-obsession during his time at Manchester United. The former England striker revealed that he was once told that the Portuguese icon would stand in front of the mirror naked and admire himself. He wrote in his column for The Daily Mail:
"Rio Ferdinand would tell us stories about how Cristiano Ronaldo would stand in front of the mirror naked, running his hand through his hair, and say, 'Wow. I'm so beautiful!'"
When other Manchester United players pulled Ronaldo's leg with Messi jokes, he would brush them off by claiming that the Argentinean does not look as good as him. Crouch added:
"The other United players would try to wind him up. 'Whatever. Leo Messi is a better player than you.' And he would shrug his shoulders and smile again. 'Ah yes. But Messi does not look like this..."
How has Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fared this season?
A lot has been said about Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United in recent months. He was keen to secure a move away from Old Trafford after the English giants failed to secure UEFA Champions League qualification last term.
However, the former Real Madrid superstar was forced to stay with the Red Devils, primarily due to a lack of offers. He has since found playing time hard to come by under Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo has clocked just 619 minutes of playing time for Manchester United this season. He found the back of the net just twice in that period.
His rival, on the other hand, has been in fine form for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He has scored and assisted eight goals each in 13 matches so far.