"We didn't shrink" - When LaLiga president made bold comments after losing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

LaLiga President Javier Tebas, in 2024, boldly commented that the Spanish league would not suffer after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo left. Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018, while Messi left Barcelona in 2021.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's rivalry peaked between 2009 and 2018 when they were at Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. Their presence saw a meteoric rise in the popularity of LaLiga, and particularly El Clasicos, as the two superstars would face each other at least twice each season.

Both legends have also been greatly successful in LaLiga, with Messi winning it 10 times and Ronaldo twice. The Portuguese superstar has scored 311 goals and assisted 95 times in 292 appearances in the Spanish top flight. Meanwhile, La Pulga has contributed 474 goals and 216 assists in 520 outings in LaLiga.

In an interview with A Bola, league president Javier Tebas insisted that losing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi did not affect the league financially. He said (via The Mirror):

"[Messi and Ronaldo leaving] didn't cause any damage because we didn't shrink, but with them, we would certainly have grown faster. The French league with Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe didn't grow, Cristiano Ronaldo went to Italy and the Italian league's international revenues didn't increase, ours did even though we lost them both.

"The reason is that, both sponsors and audiovisual media, what they care most about is that the competition is economically sustainable, that seven years later it continues to be very competitive and that in Spain there are always very good players."

Despite Messi and Ronaldo's departures, LaLiga features multiple superstars. Barcelona have Robert Lewandowski and some emerging superstars in Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, and Gavi. Meanwhile, Real Madrid have a star-studded squad featuring Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo.

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"The rivalry was healthy" - Cristiano Ronaldo recalls friendly interaction with Lionel Messi

Ronaldo and Messi (L to R) - Source: Getty

In his recent interview with El Chiringuito TV journalist Edu Aguirre, Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his rivalry with Lionel Messi was a healthy one. He also shared a friendly incident involving his archrival. He said (via GOAL):

"The rivalry was healthy. I've never had a bad relationship. On the contrary. We shared the stage at the awards for 15 years and we always got along very well. And I even remember that at one I used to translate what they said in English.

"I translated for him, it was funny. He always treated me well. Obviously, he defended his club, I defended mine; he defended his national team, and I defended mine. I think we did help each other improve. I think there were years when he wanted to play everything and score, so did I. It was a healthy fight."

Messi and Ronaldo define an unparalleled era in football, dominating almost every attacking statistic. The two legends have won a record 13 Ballons d'Or, with the Argentine holding eight and the Portugal international five.

While Cristiano Ronaldo is hailed for his lethal goal-scoring abilities, sky-rocketing numbers, and work ethic, Messi is loved for his raw talent and magic moments on the pitch.