Messi Reveals Limited Personal Connection with Ronaldo

Lionel Messi has shed light on his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, revealing that they are not close friends. Despite their status as two of football’s most decorated players—each having scored nearly 2,000 goals for club and country—their interactions have been mostly professional.

Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, acknowledges a mutual respect but admits they seldom communicate outside of official events. “We have a lot of respect and admiration for each other’s careers,” he said, emphasizing that their rivalry has always been confined to the pitch.

He explained, “Off the field, we are just ordinary people. We don’t spend time together, and our lives don’t often cross paths. We’ve always treated each other with respect.”

Messi also noted that genuine friendship is difficult to develop without frequent personal interaction. In 2017, he mentioned to a Spanish outlet that their limited relationship is mainly due to rarely seeing each other outside awards ceremonies.

Unlike Ronaldo, who plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, Messi features for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Their paths have only crossed in competitive settings for clubs or national teams, with opportunities to meet at the upcoming Club World Cup having been declined by Ronaldo.

Their Career Achievements and Rivalry

Both players continue to compete at a high level, with Ronaldo (40) and Messi (approaching 38) often debated as the greatest of all time. Messi boasts eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Ronaldo holds five. Ronaldo has scored 938 goals, surpassing Messi’s tally of 866.

In a recent interview, Ronaldo described his relationship with Messi as a “healthy rivalry.” He mentioned sharing light-hearted moments, such as translating for Messi at award ceremonies, and emphasized that there is no enmity between them.