Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were part of a fierce rivalry (Image: Alexander Hassenstein – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The epic rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo extended beyond the pitch, captivating football fans for over a decade. The two titans have won an astonishing 13 Ballon d'Ors out of 15 between 2008 and 2023, with Messi winning eight and Ronaldo winning five.
While Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or at Manchester United in 2008, his departure from Old Trafford truly sparked his rivalry with Messi. His world-record move to Real Madrid put Ronaldo in direct competition with Messi's Barcelona for almost a decade, perfectly leading the way as they sought to outdo each other in La Liga.
Even after Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018, his feud with Messi continued, fueled by fans insisting that one or the other was the greatest footballer of all time. The debate raged for over a decade and even their families began to react to the rivalry.
After Juventus' 3-0 victory over Barcelona in December 2020, Ronaldo's sister Elma Aveiro took to social media to celebrate. She shared a graphic depicting Messi bowing to Ronaldo with the caption: “My king. The greatest of all time. Pride of my life.”
A year later, Jorge Messi, father of the Argentine star, valiantly defended his son amid the furore over Lionel's seventh Ballon d'Or victory. Ronaldo believed to have been overlooked, while Robert Lewandowski or Karim Benzema were seen as other top contenders. Messi Snr remained unfazed and took to social media, posting “Blah blah blah…keep going”, alongside a photo of his son and the Ballon d'Or trophy.
The family rivalry continued even when the two men were not on the same field. In August 2022, Ronaldo's sister Katia Aveiro liked a fan's post downplaying Messi's aerial goal for PSG compared to Ronaldo's unforgettable bicycle kick from 2018 and responded with emojis clapping.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi think their rivalry is over (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
When Messi won his eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023, Ronaldo was not among the nominees after joining Al-Nassr. This sparked a reaction from a fan account highlighting Ronaldo's five awards, captioned: “Deserved, not given.” Katia, Ronaldo's sister, responded once again by clapping, showing that she still believes in the rivalry.
Despite these online arguments waged by passionate fans and family members, both men consider their long-running duel to be over. After receiving his latest Ballon d'Or, Messi told L'Equipe: “It was a great battle, from a sporting point of view.
“We fed off the rivalry with each other because we are both great competitors. He also always wanted to win everything, all the time. It was a very pleasant moment for both of us and for everyone who loves football.”
With both ending their careers in the United States and Saudi Arabia respectively, Ronaldo agreed with Messi. “I don't see things like that, the rivalry has disappeared,” Ronaldo said in 2023. “It was good, the spectators liked it. Those who love Cristiano Ronaldo do not have to hate Messi and vice versa. We did it. well, we changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/2002677/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-rivalry