“Cristiano and Leo probably won’t admit it” – Xavi makes interesting claim on how Ronaldo gave Messi ‘extra push’ to become better player

Barcelona coach Xavi has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo pushed his arch-rival Lionel Messi to become the best version of himself, insisting that the rivalry between the two is very real.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are inarguably the two most accomplished players of this generation, with a whopping 12 Ballons d’Or shared between them. The Portuguese superstar has five to his name, while the Argentine has seven. The Manchester United man has the edge when it comes to Champions League titles, with him winning it five times while the Paris Saint-Germain superstar has lifted it four times.

While fans and pundits have routinely compared their achievements and exploits, neither player has directly called it a rivalry. La Pulga’s former Barcelona teammate Xavi, however, has insisted that their rivalry is very much real. Explaining how Ronaldo helped the PSG man unlock his best self, Xavi told the BBC documentary ‘Messi: The Enigma’ (via Goal):

“Cristiano gave him an extra push to become a better player. Cristiano and Leo probably won't admit it. I am convinced they used to keep an eye on each other. If you're competitive, you want to be the best.”

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Lionel Messi prepares to mount another Ballon d’Or charge while Cristiano Ronaldo withers

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi find themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum. While the former has struggled profusely to find his footing at Old Trafford, the latter is seemingly improving with each passing day in Paris.

The Portugal skipper has featured in eight Premier League games for United this season (starting only two of those), scoring only once. In the Europa League, he has played four times this season, scoring once and claiming another assist. Unless things take a turn for the better, and soon, the no. 7 might find it difficult to break into the Ballon d’Or 30-man shortlist next year.

The Argentinian, on the other hand, has emerged as one of the best players for PSG this season, pitching in with both goals and assists. He has scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 14 games across competitions for the Parisians. If he can keep this up and guide PSG deep into the Champions League, he will have a great shot at returning to the Ballon d’Or podium next year.