Lionel Messi Offers Insight Into Cristiano Ronaldo Rivalry | OneFootball

Lionel Messi claimed that he and his long-serving rival Cristiano Ronaldo “fed off each other” during their unprecedented reign at the summit of global soccer.

Messi vs. Ronaldo is the rivalry that defined a sport for over 15 years. Helped by the fact that each featured in a long-standing contest between Spain’s two biggest clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two battled for trophies on and off the pitch year in and year out.

Between the two of them, from 2008 and 2023, they won 13 Ballon d’Or awards. Ronaldo claimed his first in 2007, followed by Messi’s maiden gong in 2009. The former Barcelona star has won the award eight times, three more than his counterpart, for the most by any player of all time. Messi’s last triumph in 2023, propelled by Argentina’s World Cup glory, likely was the first signal of an end of their era.

Messi came to the United States to play for Inter Miami while Ronaldo left Europe for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. No longer contending for the biggest honors in Europe, the Ballon d’Or is likely awarded to the next generation from here on out.

“It’s always been a great battle, in sporting terms,” Messi told France Football. “I think we’ve fed off each other with this rivalry because we’re both great competitors. He too always wanted to win everything all the time.

“It was a golden era for us and for every football fan. We deserve a lot of credit for staying at the top for so long. Because, as they say, it’s easy to get there. What’s difficult is staying there. We stayed at the top for 10, 15 years, I don’t know... It was spectacular and remains a great memory for everyone.”

Whoever picks up the premier rivalry mantle next, whether that’s Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé across Europe, or Mbappé and Lamine Yamal particularly in the context of Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, those who step up have big shoes to fill. Both Messi and Ronaldo inspired generations to come and, as the former said, deserve credit for defining such a long period in the sport's history.