In a recent interview with DSports, Lionel Messi shared about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Argentine striker said: "We are clearly not friends. We don't have time to be together, not meet on the pitch. But we always have great respect for each other.
This is an frank but moderate affirmation, accurately reflecting Messi's personality and partly showing the real relationship between the two world's top stars.
Messi and Ronaldo have been two big opponents, competing with each other for more than 15 years, from individual titles such as the Ballon d'Or, to classic El Clasico matches and even achievements at the national team level.
Messi currently has 8 Golden Balls, while Ronaldo has 5. But perhaps, the greatest value they bring is not the number of titles, but the way they maintain their class, desire and inspiration for the fans through each match.
Messi also made it clear that the competition between the two only takes place on the pitch and does not go further. This shows the professionalism and proper attitude of both. Although they are not close in real life, they still respect each other as colleagues sharing a long and challenging journey.
Ronaldo and Messi may not be at their peak as before, but what they have contributed to football will always be remembered. The respect between them, even though simple, is what makes that competition meaningful and memorable in the eyes of fans around the world.
