Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has declared an end to the long-standing rivalry between him and Argentine forward Lionel Messi. Ronaldo made this statement during a press conference held on Wednesday before training with the national team at Oeiras, on the outskirts of Lisbon, in preparation for upcoming European Championship qualifiers.
The rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi has been a prominent feature of football for 15 years, dating back to when Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 and Messi claimed his first in 2009. During this period, they both consistently stayed at the top of the football hierarchy.
In addition to Ronaldo and Messi, only two other players have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or since 2008: Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022. Ronaldo’s statement signifies a symbolic end to a historic era of competition and achievement in football.
He said, “I don’t see things like that; the rivalry is over. It was a healthy rivalry, and the spectators liked it a lot.
“Whoever likes Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t have to hate Messi and vice versa, because they are both very good. We’ve done well; we have changed the history of football, and we’ll keep on doing it. We are respected all over the world; that’s the most important thing.
“He makes his way; I make mine, even if we’re playing outside Europe. From what I’ve seen, he has done well, and so have I. It’s about continuing; the legacy continues.
“I’ve said there’s no rivalry. We’ve shared the stage for 15 years, and we ended up being — I wouldn’t say friends — because I never dined with him. We are professional colleagues, and we respect each other.”
