– Messi admits he respects Cristiano Ronaldo
– Says the duo are rivals and nothing more
Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi has finally cleared the air on the perennial rivalry
between him and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying he respects the Real Madrid front man. Leo says there is a mutual respect between himself and CR7, but admits their relationship does not go beyond that, Goal.com reports.
The rivalry between the two is adjudged the greatest in football history as both players are widely considered the best players of the modern era, with pundits and fans tearing each other apart over which of the duo is the greatest.
It should be noted that no player outside the legendary two has won the Ballon d’Or since 2007 as the battle for number one still continues to the current 2015/2016 season, with rumours that both players dislike each other.
“We are professionals that defend our teams, and rivals in this game, nothing more than that,” Messi told Argentine newspaper El Grafico. It would be recalled that former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert disclosed that Argentine international Lionel Messi needs someone like Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo to bring out the best in him.
The Dutchman also believes that the rivalry between both players has elevated because they are playing for Spanish arch-rivals (Barcelona and Real Madrid). He said: “Messi is in a different dimension with his football, but I also think he urgently needs someone like Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He needs someone who gives him an incentive to go for it every game, to see each match as a challenge. Both players are world class and a level above the rest. “At Barcelona, now there is only one central player: Messi. During my time, there were several important players there, though on the other hand Messi’s nothing without his team-mates.”
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