Messi: "Of course I'm not friends with Ronaldo, but there is respect between us"

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi commented on his long-standing rivalry with the other most prominent modern footballer — Cristiano Ronaldo — emphasizing that their competition has always stayed strictly on the pitch. As is well known, not only did the two play at the same time for fierce rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, but for a long period they also competed for the most prestigious individual awards in football.

"I have great respect and admiration for Ronaldo for the career he had and continues to have, because he keeps competing at the highest level. My rivalry with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for his team. Of course, as always, everything stayed on the pitch. Off it, we are two normal people. Naturally, we are not friends, as we don't spend time together, but we have always treated each other with respect," Messi told DSPORTS after his Inter Miami's 2–1 win over Porto.

In that match, the Argentine scored the winning goal with a stunning direct free kick. He thus became the only footballer to score in four different editions of the Club World Cup. Previously, only Messi and Ronaldo had scored in three separate editions of the tournament throughout its entire history. Meanwhile, Ronaldo — currently at Al-Nassr — remains the top scorer with 7 goals, while Messi now trails his great rival by just one.