Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has opened up about his admiration for long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, making it clear that while the pair are not friends, there is mutual respect between them.
Speaking in an interview with DS Sports, the Argentine stated that their rivalry existed solely on the pitch, particularly during their time facing off in El Clasico matches in Spain, with Messi at Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he’s had and continues to have because he’s still competing at the highest level.
“The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field.
“Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We’re not friends, obviously, because we don’t spend time together, but we’ve always treated each other with a lot of respect.”
Despite both players now playing on different continents of the world—Messi in Major League Soccer (MLS) and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr—their careers have often been compared, with fans and pundits divided over who is the greatest of all time.
