"So many good players" - When Lionel Messi named ex-Manchester United star as the player he would 'pay to watch'

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi once named his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo as a player he would pay to watch. This rare praise from the Argentine maestro came ahead of the highly anticipated 2009 UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, a match that pitted two of the world’s best players against each other on the grandest stage.

Between 2008 and 2010, Barcelona and Manchester United were two of the most dominant teams in Europe. During this period the Blaugrana, under Pep Guardiola, possessed a young, shiny Lionel Messi in their ranks. Manchester United, under Sir Alex Ferguson, also had a star in Cristiano Ronaldo, known for his pace, agility, and goal-scoring prowess.

Prior to the 2008-09 Champions League final, Barcelona had won the LaLiga and Copa del Rey titles that season. The Red Devils were also in red-hot form as they had won a third successive Premier League title and the Carabao Cup.

Simply put, both teams had a star-studded squad heading to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for the final showpiece of Europe’s premier football competition. Before the match kicked off, Messi was interviewed by the Daily Mail and revealed the Manchester United player he would pay to watch.

‘‘Manchester United have quality everywhere. So many good players. But if I had to pick one out it would be Ronaldo. He is a player I would pay to watch. He and I are very different players but he is unbelievable, very special, and it will not be easy to stop him," said the Argentine.

‘'But we must not pay all attention to him and forget about Berbatov, Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Manchester United have players all over the pitch who can punish you in the same way we have," he added.

Barcelona would go on to secure a historic treble as goals from Samuel Eto’o and Messi gave the Spanish giants a 2-0 victory.

''Had no problems adapting'' – When Lionel Messi gave his views on Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance after the Portuguese star returned to Manchester United

Back in 2021, Lionel Messi gave his opinion on Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance during the latter’s second stint at Manchester United. Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 after a three-year spell at Juventus.

Messi, who was at Paris Saint-Germain at the time, acknowledged that his Portuguese rival had adapted well to the demands of English football but noted that things could change. Messi told Marca:

"Cristiano already knew the club but that was at a different stage and now he has adapted in an impressive manner. From the start, he has scored goals as he always does and had no problems adapting."

He added:

‘’In the Premier League he is not as good as we all thought, but it is a very difficult and equal competition in which things change a lot. After December things change a lot and anything can happen.’’

Lionel Messi's prediction was proven to be spot on as Cristiano Ronaldo did struggle in his second season back at Old Trafford, eventually leaving the club by mutual consent.