Lionel Messi has opened up on the rivalry between him and Cristiano Ronaldo, describing it as a battle while it lasted.
The duo dominated their era with stunning individual performances culminating in winning major trophies, individual accolades to etch their names in history.
Both players won 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them with Messi winning 8, and Ronaldo five.
Both players scored an unfathomable number of goals for their respective clubs with Lionel Messi scoring 666, while Ronaldo netted 450.
Messi described their rivalry as a tough battle while revealing they both pushed each other to greatness.
He said: “It was always a battle,” Messi said to the Official Ballon d’Or X account.
“In sporting terms, it was very beautiful. We pushed each other to be better because we are both extremely competitive.
“He always wanted to win everything, and so did I. It was a beautiful time for us and for people who love football.
“What we did for so long is very commendable. As they say, it’s easy to get there, but hard to stay there. We stayed at the top for 10 or 15 years. It’s a fond memory for everyone”
Messi has won 45 trophies which include 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, two Copa Américas (2021 and 2024), and the 2022 FIFA World Cup while Ronaldo can boast of 33 major trophies.
According to IFFHS, they are the only two players to score over 800 goals each in their careers for club and country. Ronaldo holds the record for most official goals in a career.
Messi is also the only player in history to win the Ballon d’Or with 3 different clubs (Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain and Inter Miami).
