Although the battle for the throne of soccer World Cup between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo It was left behind, the memory is still more alive than ever. In a recent interview with the official account of the Golden Ballthe captain of the ARGENTINE SELECTION The fierce, but sports competition, which starred with the Portuguese emblem for more than a decade with respect and admiration.
Between 2008 and 2023, both dominated the world of football, with 13 gold balls between the two (8 for Messi, 5 for Cristiano) and leaving an indelible mark on the history of sport.
“It was always a battle, in quotes. In sports it was very nice. We mutually fed on each other because we are both very competitive. He always wanted to win everything and everything”said Messi, who currently militates in the Inter Miamiaway from the European elite but still in force.
His words reflect not only respect for his eternal rival, but also the recognition of an era that marked millions of fans around the planet.
The Argentine not only valued the football quality of that antinomy, but the enormous merit of sustaining it over time: “It was a very nice time for us and for people who like football in general. I think it has a lot of merit what we did for so long. As they say, it is easy to get and the difficult thing is to stay”.
Already settled in the United States, and with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, the Duels of Classic and Champions were left behind. However, Messi synthesized it with a phrase that crosses generations: “We stayed at the top for 10, 15 years. It was spectacular and a nice memory for everyone enjoying football.”.
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8 for Messi & 5 for Ronaldo.
Messi reflects on his immense rivalry with ronaldo for the ballon d’Or. Between 2008 and 2023, They Won the Trophy 13 Times! What is your favourite memory of the Battle Between the Two Most Successful Ballon d’Or Winners?#BALLONDOR pic.twitter.com/9CVKK1PQWN
– Ballon d’Or (@Ballondor) May 17, 2025
Source: Ambito

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