Lionel Messi has opened up about his long-standing on-field rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, offering insight into the mutual respect they share—even if they’ve never been close off the pitch.
In a recent interview, Messi admitted that while he and Ronaldo aren’t friends, he has great admiration for the Portuguese star’s career, especially his consistency and drive, even at the age of 40.
Reflecting on their years competing at the highest level—Messi with Barcelona and Ronaldo with Real Madrid—he shared that their rivalry was intense but always professional. “We pushed each other to be better,” Messi said. “What happened on the pitch stayed there. Off the field, we’ve always shown each other respect, even if we didn’t have a personal relationship.”
The conversation comes after Messi delivered another magical performance at the FIFA Club World Cup, bending in a signature free-kick to secure a 2–1 win for Inter Miami against Porto. It was his first Club World Cup goal since 2015—and his 50th for Inter Miami in just 61 matches since joining the team in July 2023.
With three Club World Cup titles already under his belt from his Barcelona days, Messi is now eyeing a fourth, this time with Inter Miami. After their comeback win, the team needs only a draw in their final group game to advance to the knockout stage.
