Lionel Messi reflects on his wonderful competitive duel with Cristiano Ronaldo

The pair of Messi and Ronaldo claimed a total of 13 Ballon dOr awards between them, shaping a notable chapter in international football.

In a chat with broadcaster Pollo Alvarez, the Inter Miami forward discussed their intense showdowns from their days in Spanish football.

“It turned out to be a wonderful competitive rivalry,” the Argentine legend shared with TV presenter Pollo Alvarez.

“This is just part of football life. I represented Barcelona, he starred for Real Madrid, and we fought for every honour as clubs and on a personal level, which led to endless comparisons from the public. 

"Yet our connection stayed positive and polite, with all the rivalry focused solely on the sport. Nothing ever got personal.

 "We seldom encountered each other beyond games or events like awards, always keeping things friendly. These days we are in separate career moments, but it was truly a wonderful competitive rivalry.”