"I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo"- Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi continues to make headlines, thanks to his goal-scoring in the FIFA Club World Cup. The 37-year-old scored a banger against FC Porto to complete a comeback win on the second game day of the FIFA Club World Cup. While the win has continued to grab eyeballs, Lionel Messi’s statement about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo has caught the attention. 

Speaking to the media, Lionel Messi mentioned that he has a lot of admiration and respect for Cristiano Ronaldo for the career he continues to have. He also acknowledged that Ronaldo is still competing at the highest level. While reminiscing about their rivalry during the La Liga days, Messi said the competition was intense, but it always remained on the pitch. He said:

I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, and for the career he's had and continues to have,

He is still competing at the highest level. The competition with him was on the pitch… Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Everything stayed on the pitch. 

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to play for the Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, though there were rumors of a potential move to Al Hilal or Inter Miami to join the competition. However, the move never materialized. 

Speaking about their relationship, Lionel Messi emphasized that they are just two normal individuals, not close friends. He explained that they don’t spend time together but have always treated each other with great respect.

Off the pitch, we are two normal guys. We're not friends because we don't spend time together, but we've always treated each other with a lot of respect.

What had Cristiano Ronaldo previously told about Lionel Messi? 

In the past, when the feud between the two was often highlighted, Cristiano Ronaldo clarified that he never had a bad relationship with the Argentine international. He mentioned that the reality is quite the opposite of how it has been portrayed. He had said:

I have never had a bad relationship with Messi

It’s quite the opposite.