Lionel Messi has shed light on his relationship with longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, saying while they are not friends, there is mutual respect between them.
Speaking in an interview with DSsports, the Inter Miami forward explained that their rivalry was purely professional, particularly during their iconic clashes in Spain’s El Clasico, when Messi represented Barcelona and Ronaldo played for Real Madrid.
“I have great respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and everything he has achieved and is still achieving at the highest level,” Messi said. “Our competition was always on the pitch. We both wanted to give our best for our teams, but off the field, things were always respectful.”
He added, “We’re not friends because we don’t share personal time, but we’ve always treated each other with respect.”
Despite now playing on different continents, Messi in the U.S. with Inter Miami and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr their legendary careers continue to draw comparisons from fans and pundits alike.
Ronaldo will be absent from Al Nassr’s upcoming friendly against Inter Miami on Thursday due to a calf injury.
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