“He told me, ‘no I don’t like you’” - Cristiano Ronaldo fan IShowSpeed tells Garnacho how Lionel Messi meeting made him love Al-Nassr superstar

IShowSpeed recently shared a personal story explaining his preference for Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi in a recent stream with Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho.

The American streamer is widely known for his admiration of Ronaldo and it seems that an encounter with Messi is part of the reason. Garnacho asked IShowSpeed (via Mundo Deportivo):

“Why don't you like Messi? What happened to him?"

Speed responded:

“In 2018 I met Messi. I asked him for a photo and he told me 'no, I don't like you.'”

Cristiano Ronaldo, who will turn 39 this February, has been with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia since January 2023. He will soon face Lionel Messi in a friendly on February 1 as the Argentine legend and Inter Miami are set to visit the Middle Eastern country. It will be a return to the same pitch for both players, who fought for the title of the world's best player while dominating La Liga for a decade.

After the meeting, they will go back to playing in their respective leagues, while preparing to take their countries to international success. Ronaldo is currently eyeing EURO 2024, with Portugal widely seen as strong contenders. Messi and Argentina are also favorites to win the 2024 Copa America.

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Referee shares his experiences of officiating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch

Honduran referee Said Martinez has opened up about his experience refereeing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the field. Speaking with AS, the referee described Messi as a calmer player (via GOAL):

"They are two totally different personalities, but both are great players, I don’t think one stands out over the other. Refereeing Messi is a little calmer, he is a player who plays the ball and thinks about his game more than anything else."

Martinez said about the Portuguese legend:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is a little more demonstrative without being disrespectful. But refereeing them is without doubt a privilege anyone would like to have. Seeing them both score a goal from a free kick is something I will never forget."

Ronaldo's 2023 with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia has been amazing, as he finished the calendar year as the world's top goalscorer with 54 goals in 50 appearances. Meanwhile, Messi scored 28 goals across 44 games, including 11 for Inter Miami after he left PSG in the summer.