‘We’re Not Friends’—Lionel Messi Opens Up on Cristiano Ronaldo Rivalry | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has admitted that he has no friendship with longstanding career adversary Cristiano Ronaldo but has revealed the “respect and admiration” he holds for the Portuguese superstar.

Largely considered the runaway candidates for the tag of greatest of all-time, Messi and Ronaldo have enjoyed a fierce on-field rivalry as they contested the most coveted individual and collective prizes on offer.

The best of their battles came in Spain as Messi donned Barcelona colors and Ronaldo the fabled white of Real Madrid, with the pair often pushing each other to dizzying new heights. They have won a staggering 13 Ballon d’Or titles between them—eight for Messi and five for Ronaldo—and have consistently wowed audiences worldwide.

Their rivalry has dominated the football discourse for much of the 21st century and Messi has once again opened up on his relationship with his foe, admitting they rarely cross paths.

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he's had and continues to have, because he's still competing at the highest level,” the Inter Miami CF forward told DSports.

Ronaldo has been Messi’s closest competitor over the years. / IMAGO/Abdullah Ahmed

“The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field.

“Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We're not friends obviously because we don't spend time together, but we've always treated each other with a lot of respect.”

Much has been made of the supposed feud between the duo, who have previously been accused of disliking one another. However, Ronaldo revealed that was far from the case in an interview earlier this year.

“I have never had a bad relationship with Messi,” said the 40-year-old. “It’s quite the opposite.”

There were hopes the duo might face off against one other at the 2025 Club World Cup after reports suggested Ronaldo could sign a short-term contract with one of the participating clubs, but a move never materialized. Meanwhile, Messi is making his mark on the tournament.