Cristiano Ronaldo Says His Rivalry With Lionel Messi Is Over

Cristiano Ronaldo has declared that his rivalry with Lionel Messi is done, insisting that their time together “is gone” because both players are now playing on different continents.

While playing for Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, Messi and Ronaldo shared the spotlight for more than ten years of their respective careers, winning 12 Ballon d’Ors in all.

When Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2019, their La Liga encounters came to an end. Ronaldo eventually moved to Saudi Arabia and Messi later switched to Inter Miami this season. They both currently play on various continents.

In a recent news conference, Ronaldo was all love for his former opponent, noting that their duopoly was a pleasure for devoted fans all over the world and that the two have a lot of respect for one another.

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“Hatred? I don’t see things like that, the rivalry is gone,’ Ronaldo said when asked if fans who love him have to hate Messi. ‘It was good, spectators liked it.

“Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don’t have to hate Messi and vice versa. We’ve done well, we have changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that’s the most important thing.

“He’s followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. From what I’ve seen, he’s been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don’t see the rivalry like that.

“We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I’m not saying we’re friends, I’ve never had dinner with him, but we’re professional colleagues and we respect each other.”

Both Ronaldo and Messi are recognized as the best players to ever play the game, and in December, Messi became the first player to win the Champions League, World Cup, and Ballon d’Or.

They are the only two to have scored more than 800 goals and have won 79 titles between them. For Al-Nassr, Ronaldo scored his 850th goal on Saturday against Al-Hazm.

“It’s a historic landmark,” Ronaldo, 38, said of his achievement. “For me it was a source of pride the numbers I achieved, which I didn’t think I could reach.

“But I want more. While playing the game, the bar has to be high, thinking big.”