My rivalry with Lionel Messi is over, says Cristiano Ronaldo

The five-time Ballon D’Or winner said that there will always be a mutual respect between him and Lionel Messi.

FILE PHOTO: Cristiano Ronaldo in action during the UEFA Nations League. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Cristiano Ronaldo weighed in on his rivarly with archnemesis Lionel Messi and said that the duo “changed the history of football”.

“We are respected throughout the world, that’s the most important thing. He makes his way, I make mine even if we are playing outside Europe. He has done well from what I’ve seen and so have I,” said Ronaldo during Portugal’s press conference ahead of the World Cup Euro 2024 qualifier against Slovakia.

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However, the rivalry is over between between the pair which won 12 Ballon D’Or awards between them, says the Portuguese star. Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr while Messi joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, leaving European football without Ronaldo and Messi for the first time this century.

“The rivalry is over. It was a good healthy rivalry that the spectators liked a lot. Whoever likes Ronaldo does not have to hate Messi or vice-versa because they’re both very good. They changed the history of football and they keep on doing it,” Ronaldo added.

Ronaldo also joked that he is not friends with Messi since the two are yet to go out on a dinner which they planned to during the 2019 Ballon D’Or ceremony. The mutual admiration, though, remains.

“The rivalry I don’t see things like that. I’ve already said we’ve shared the stage for 15 years and we ended up being, I wouldn’t say friends because I never dined with him, but we are professional colleagues and we respect each other,” Ronaldo added.