There are very few sporting rivalries as has been between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The two greats have enjoyed a storied rivalry, especially when they played against each other during their time in La Liga. Even as they left Real Madrid and Barcelona, fans have always kept a close tab on how they performed in other leagues. Both players have won a combined total of 12 Ballon d'Or trophies. Now, in the twilight of their careers, Ronaldo has put an end to all this competition by stating that the rivalry between these two players is over. Ronaldo was speaking to reporters ahead of Portugal's match against Slovakia in UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers on September 9. The Portugal star also was left out of the list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or, an award that he has gone on to win a total of five times, only second behind Messi with seven titles. Ballon d'Or 2023 Nominees: Lionel Messi and Aitana Bonmati Nominated, Cristiano Ronaldo Misses Cut.

Calling for his fans who like him, to not hate Messi, Ronaldo said, "I don't see things like that, the rivalry is gone. It was good, the spectators liked it. Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. We've done well, we have changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing." The Portugal star forward further went on to add that though they are not friends, they respect each other. "He's followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. From what I've seen, he's been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that. We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other." ‘End of An Era’ Fans React As Cristiano Ronaldo Fails To Make 30-Man List of Nominees for Ballon d’Or 2023 Award.

Fans have always engaged in a never-ending debate about which of these two players is the greatest of all time and there have been several opinions on this very topic. Both players have had terrific careers, winning a total of 79 trophies (combined) and are now, competing at almost opposite ends of the earth. Ronaldo left Manchester United in 2021 to join Al-Nassr, for whom he signed earlier this year and he achieved success with the Saudi Pro League outfit, leading them to the Arab Club Champions Cup trophy. Messi on the other hand, left PSG after two seasons and joined Inter Miami, where he has starred with 11 goals so far, the highlight of his stay so far being the Leagues Cup 2023 title.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2023 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).