“If you ask Leo, he’ll tell you the same thing” – When Cristiano Ronaldo made emphatic claim about rivalry with Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo insisted there has never been bad blood between himself and Lionel Messi and doesn't consider their relationship to be a rivalry. He also claimed it was a privilege to compete with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner back in 2020.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are considered to be two of the greatest players to ever grace the sport. During the peaks of their career, they battled on opposing sides - whether it be Ballon d'Or or El Clasico showdowns.

The Portugal superstar left Real Madrid in 2018 to join Serie A titans Juventus. The two icons would go on to face each other twice more in Europe in 2020 after Barcelona and the Old Lady were both placed in Group G of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League.

Lionel Messi's Barcelona won the first fixture 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium but Cristiano Ronaldo and Co were able to take revenge in the reverse fixture, winning 3-0. This ensured Juventus finished first in their group due to a superior head-to-head record after both teams finished with 15 points.

Following their victory, Ronaldo spoke to Movistar, explaining his relationship with Messi (via Sky Sports):

"Leo and me shared the last twelve, thirteen or fourteen years of our lives. I've always had a cordial relationship with him, I never saw him as a rival. It's the press that creates the rivalry. If you ask Leo, he'll tell you the same thing."

The Portuguese continued:

"It's always beautiful to play against him. Obviously people will talk about our rivalry when we meet, but for me it's just a great privilege. I faced him while with Manchester United, with Real Madrid and now with Juventus. As far as I'm concerned, I'm happy about my goals and for me, managing to score is always the source of greater joys. Maybe it's even better when I play against the team which he is playing in."

Both megastars went on to suffer disappointment in the Round of 16 as Barcelona and Juventus were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Porto respectively.

---

Exploring the career trajectories of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since their 2020 UCL showdown

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi haven't faced each other in Europe since their 2020 UCL showdowns so let's take a look at how their careers panned out since then.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus in the summer of 2021 to rejoin Manchester United. However, he had a mixed second tenure at Old Trafford as the Red Devils struggled for consistency.

The 38-year-old had his contract terminated in November 2022 after he fell out with manager Erik ten Hag and his public outbursts in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.

Cristiano Ronaldo most recently joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 and is expected to play for the Saudi Pro League club next season. On the other hand, Lionel Messi also left Barcelona to join PSG in 2021 due to the Blaugrana's financial issues. He spent two seasons there and was able to win three trophies, including two Ligue 1 titles.

Lionel Messi recently left Les Parisiens as a free agent and joined MLS side Inter Miami. Next season will be the first time in nearly two decades that both players won't be competing in Europe.