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The era of dominance between the duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has been the greatest era in the history of football. The two greats have had the world at their feet for well over a decade.
Between the duo, 11 Ballon d'Ors have been shared, and this is a remarkable feat in the award's tradition. Before the emergence of the duo in the late 2000s, only Michel Plantini, Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten had managed three Ballon d'Ors each. Lionel Messi has doubled that figure within a decade, and Cristiano Ronaldo is right behind him with five Ballon d'Ors.
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Now that the Ballon d'Or winner is set to be announced within hours, the world is once again looking at Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Other players like Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski have been thrown into contention, and they deserve it. But the legendary duo remain the most popular choice.
The two stars aren't close friends, and their rivalries have taken football to new heights. That hasn't stopped either player from making remarks about the other. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the five greatest quotes by Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi:
#5 You can't compare a Ferrari with a Porsche: Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the debate about who is better between him and Lionel Messi can be tiring. Ronaldo doesn't want to be compared to Messi as he believes that they're inherently different. He said:
"Sometimes (the comparisons with Messi) makes me tired ... for him too because they compare us together all the time. You can't compare a Ferrari and a Porsche, because they have different engines It's the first time and I’m very happy, because it's the most important trophy. It will be hard to match a year as good as this, because the Spanish league is the toughest in the world and competing with Barcelona, as we all know, is very difficult."
#4 I don't care if Messi wins the Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi took Barcelona to the heights of European domination in 2015, and the Ballon d'Or was undoubtedly his. Barcelona won the treble that season and Messi played a key role for them. Although Messi had stood head over shoulders above every other player, his rival Cristiano Ronaldo didn't see it that way.
In fact, Ronaldo couldn't care less. He stated:
"I don't care if Messi wins the Ballon d'Or. I know that it is not in my hands whether I win this award or not. It all depends on others. I have always remained the same over the past eight years of my career. I have always played at a very high level. Name me one other player in the history of the game who has done the same."
#3 I'm not his friend, but we are colleagues: Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi
In a strong rivalry that has lasted through the entire careers of both stars, it's hardly any surprise that the duo aren't close friends.
Cristiano Ronaldo explained that he and Lionel Messi have mutual respect for each other. Though they haven't sat down to eat together. For Ronaldo, the duo are work colleagues, rather than rivals. He said in an interview:
"In terms of my relationship with Messi. I'm not his friend, but we are colleagues. We've shared a lot of moments together in premieres over the last 10 years and I have a very good relationship with him. We don’t sit down to eat together, but I respect him. He’s a work colleague, not a rival."
#2 I really enjoy seeing him play: Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo has made it clear that he enjoys watching Lionel Messi play. According to the Portuguese maestro, the duo share a cordial relationship. Ronaldo also noted that Messi hasn't done anything bad and also speaks positively about him. He said:
"I like to see all the good footballers and he is one of them, it’s a good crack. I really enjoy seeing him play. How would I not like someone who hasn't done anything bad - it's the opposite. When they ask Messi about Cristiano, he also talks positively about me. My relationship with him is cordial, and we have mutual respect for each other."
#1 Lionel Messi has made me a better player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Both players enjoyed wreaking havoc on La Liga defenses at will during their time at Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, there was a notable shift in Spain when Cristiano Ronaldo made the switch to Juventus in 2019. After all, both stars would no longer vie for trophies and awards in Spanish football.
For the near decade they both spent in La Liga, Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to praise the Argentine magician. He noted that his competition with Messi made him a better player. Ronaldo said:
“I really admire the career he has had and from his side, he has already talked of the disappointment when I left Spain because it was a rivalry that he appreciated. It’s a good rivalry but it’s not unique -- Michael Jordan had rivalries in basketball, there was Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in Formula 1."
He added:
“I have no doubt that Lionel Messi has made me a better player and vice-versa. When I am winning trophies it must sting him and it’s the same for me when he wins."
