"More things that unite them" - When PSG star commented after playing with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Vitinha once outlined the similarities between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The two superstars of modern football have unleashed one of the biggest sporting rivalries ever during their esteemed career.

CR7 and La Pulga have pushed each other to the limits of their capabilities during the peak of their powers. Now in the twilight of their career, both players continue to go strong, while their rivalry has shown no signs of diminishing.

Vitinha is one of the few players who shared the pitch with both the Argentinean and the Portuguese. The 25-year-old played with Lionel Messi during the latter's time with PSG, while he has also rubbed shoulders with Cristiano Ronaldo while representing the national team.

Speaking to O Jogo in 2022, as cited by GOAL, Vitinha insisted that the duo's hunger for success is quite similar.

“There are far more things that unite them than things that separate them. They each have their own way of playing and their own characteristics, but the things that unite them are immense. The will to always want more, without taking into account what they have already earned, is part of it," said Vitinha.

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr expires in a couple of months, and he is yet to agree to an extension. Lionel Messi, meanwhile, is also in the final year of his contract with Inter Miami.

How many games has Vitinha played alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

Vitinha arrived at PSG in the summer of 2022, when Lionel Messi was already part of the squad. The Argentinean maestro had joined the Parisians a year earlier, following the expiry of his contract with Barcelona.

Vitinha went on to share the pitch 39 times with La Pulga, winning 28 and losing eight more. They won the league together that season, but failed to register a goal contribution together.

The partnership was broken the following summer, when the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner left PSG as a free agent to move to the MLS to join Inter Miami. Vitinha, meanwhile, has played 21 games alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for the national team, winning 14 and losing six.

Vitinha set up one of CR7's goals in the 5-1 win over Poland in the Groups stages of the UEFA Nations League last year. They are both likely to be in the squad for semifinal against Germany on June 4.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over six years at Sportskeeda. He has written close to 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 19.5Million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Nihal