'No friendship' between Messi and Ronaldo, Argentine star clarifies

There is no animosity or personal conflict between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, their limited interaction is simply a result of their careers taking them in different directions. Even during their time in Spain, when they were regularly facing off in La Liga, they represented bitter rivals: Messi with Barcelona and Ronaldo with Real Madrid, at the heart of the intense El Clasico rivalry.

 

Now, Ronaldo plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, while Messi stars for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Many fans around the world still dream of seeing the two icons share the pitch as teammates before they retire, but such a collaboration remains a distant hope. 

 

  'Ronaldo and I aren't friends'  

"I hold a deep respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and everything he has achieved in his career, and continues to achieve, as he's still performing at an elite level," Messi stated. "Our rivalry was purely on the pitch, driven by our desire to give everything for our respective teams. Off the field, we’re just ordinary people. While we’re not friends in the traditional sense, as we don’t socialize, there has always been mutual respect between us." 

 

Between them, Messi and Ronaldo have collected 13 Ballon d'Or awards and rewritten the history books on numerous occasions. At 40, Ronaldo continues to chase milestones, including the remarkable target of 1,000 career goals. Meanwhile, Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory, is preparing to celebrate his 38th birthday on Tuesday.  Both of the football superstars could meet one final time if they clash in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 if they manage to get their names on the squad list for the quadrennial tournament that is.