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Brazilian legend Romario once snubbed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while naming players who were better than him in history. The Selecao superstar considered his compatriot Pele and Argentine legend Diego Maradona the only two footballers who surpass him.
Romario is often considered among the best Brazilian players of all time, having represented clubs like Barcelona, Valencia, PSV Eindhoven, and Flamengo in his career. He was also a part of the Selecao's 1994 World Cup winning squad.
Romario's other achievements include two Copa America titles, a LaLiga with Barcelona, and three Eredivisie titles with PSV Eindhoven, among other honors. However, few would place the former striker above Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have dominated football over the last two decades.
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In a 2024 interview with The Sun, Romario was presented with a list of former and current players. He had to choose himself or the player in question in a game format. The list included Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both of whom he considered equal to him but not better.
"Romario or Messi? Draw. Romario or Cristiano? Draw," the retired Brazilian said.
However, when the interviewer named Pele and Diego Maradona, Romario admitted both legends to be better than him. Here's how the conversation went:
Interviewer: So only two beat Romario, Maradona and Pele?
Romario: My opinion is this.
Apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Romario also named his compatriots Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho as footballers at par with him.
Irrespective of Romario's opinion, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are unarguably considered among the greatest footballers of all time. Both legends have cemented an unparalleled legacy which sees them stand close to former legends of the game, including Pelé, Maradona, and Johan Cruyff.
When did Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo last face each other?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo last faced each other officially in the 2020-21 season in a UEFA Champions League group stage clash between Barcelona and Juventus. Ronaldo's Juventus beat Messi's boyhood side 3-0 in the clash. The legendary Portuguese found the net twice from the penalty spot in the game.
The two once clashed against each other at least twice each season during El Clasicos between 2009 and 2018, when the Argentine was at Barca and the Portuguese legend at Real Madrid.
The two also faced each other in an unofficial friendly where Messi's then club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) faced a Riyadh All-Stars team in January 2023. The game marked Cristiano Ronaldo's debut in Saudi Arabia. PSG won 5-4, with both legends scoring in the clash. Messi found the net once while the Portuguese scored a brace.
In February 2024, Ronaldo's current side, Al-Nassr, faced Messi's current club, Inter Miami, in a friendly game. The Saudi Pro League giants beat the MLS side 6-0, although Messi and Ronaldo did not share the pitch in the clash. Lionel Messi played for a few minutes for the Herons, but Ronaldo did not make it to the pitch at all.
It is unlikely that the two legends of the game will face each other on the pitch in an official game again. However, it is football and the unpredictable can never be ruled out.
