Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo feels that his and Lionel Messi’s rivalry is gone and that they have both made history.
On the evening of September 6, prior to Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifying match against Slovakia, Ronaldo was chosen to represent the Portuguese team at the press conference and field questions from the media. But when the 38-year-old striker was asked about his matchup with Messi, he responded, “This competition was amazing and the spectators appreciated it too. But it’s done now. You don’t have to despise Messi if you like me, and the opposite is true. We both have a lot of talent, and we’ll keep making football history. The fact that we are regarded by everyone in the globe is crucial.
The striker for Al Nassr club added that while Messi and he are no longer in Europe, they are on different paths. Ronaldo continued, “I’m still playing great, and Messi is, too. We will keep leaving a legacy, but I don’t believe we can continue to compete with one another. For the past 15 years, Messi and I have shone together, and we appreciate one another. Since we’ve never eaten dinner together yet view each other as colleagues, it’s possible that we aren’t friends.
During the UEFA Best Player award ceremony in Monaco on August 29, 2019, Ronaldo once mentioned he wаnted to have dinner with Messi. The Argentine captain voted for Ronaldo at FIFA’s The Best award that same year, but the Portuguese superstar did not cast a ballot for Messi. The two players have still been unable to eat supper together after more than four years.
In his club and national team career, Ronaldo has scored 850 goals, 32 more than Messi. While happy to have accomplished this historic milestone, he is also eager to continue to advance. “My teammates helped me break this record, and I’m grateful to them, but I want more than that. I can’t wait until I’m too thirsty to drink water,” he said. “900 goals is a larger milestone.
The criticism Ronaldo and other players received when they traveled to Saudi Arabia to play football is another matter that worries the Portuguese media. But in his opinion, the Saudi Pro League has surpassed the Portuguese title. I said the Saudi League will overtake all other leagues six months ago, but people thought I was insаne at the time, he continued. “However, it appears that I am no longer insаne. Making the Saudi League more prestigious makes me happy because I want the competition to expand and Saudi Arabian football to advance steadily.
Ronaldo merely responded that he wants to enjoy every second on the field when asked about the potential of going to the 2026 World Cup at the age of 41. Ronaldo has been a member of the Portuguese team for 20 years, and he believes he still contributes to the team. Nevertheless, he will obey any instructions given by coach Roberto Martinez.
On September 8th, Portugal will have company in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. They traveled back to Algarve three days later to face Luxembourg. Ronaldo is confident that Portugal will qualify for Euro 2024 if they earn six points from these two games.
