Lionel Messi has spoken candidly about his 'beautiful sporting rivalry' with Cristiano Ronaldo, describing it as a natural part of football that was always respectful and purely athletic. The two legends, now playing for Inter Miami and Al-Nassr respectively, once dominated the sport while at Barcelona and Real Madrid, competing for top honors and trading Ballon d'Or victories over many years. Messi has won eight Ballon d'Or awards, while Ronaldo has five.
Messi Reflects on Rivalry
'What happened was a beautiful sporting rivalry,' Messi told Pollo Alvarez ahead of the World Cup and this weekend's El Clasico between their former clubs. 'It's something natural in the world of football. I was at Barcelona and he was at Real Madrid, and we were competing for everything both collectively and individually, so people were always comparing us.'
Messi emphasized that their relationship remained amicable. 'Our relationship was always good and respectful, and everything that happened was purely athletic. There was nothing personal. We didn't meet often except at matches or award ceremonies, and we were always on good terms. Now we're at different stages in our lives, but what happened was a beautiful sporting rivalry.'
Praise for Lamine Yamal
Messi also offered high praise for Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who wears the No. 10 shirt like Messi did and is known for his dribbling and passing. 'There's a new generation of footballers who are very good and have many years ahead of them,' Messi said at an Adidas event. 'But if I had to choose one because of his age, what he's done so far, and the future he could have, it would be Lamine. There's no doubt, for me he's the best.'
Yamal and Messi could face each other at the 2026 World Cup, with Argentina and Spain among the favorites. Messi captained Argentina to glory in 2022, while Yamal starred in Spain's European Championship victory two years later.
