Overview
- Messi, in an interview released Friday on Pollo Álvarez’s Lo Del Pollo podcast, described his long competition with Cristiano Ronaldo as a beautiful, purely sporting rivalry.
- He said their relationship stayed respectful with nothing personal, and that they mostly crossed paths at matches or award ceremonies.
- Messi linked the public comparisons to their Barcelona–Real Madrid years, when from 2009 to 2018 they chased the same trophies and traded top individual awards like the Ballon d’Or.
- Their direct meetings have dwindled with Messi at Inter Miami and Ronaldo at Al‑Nassr, with the last game a January 2023 friendly and the last official clash in the 2020–21 Champions League.
- Coverage notes an official club rematch is unlikely, making the 2026 World Cup the most plausible stage for another meeting if tournament draws and results line up.