Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo told why record-breaking careers might not have happened without each other as Man Utd legend admits he'd 'love' rivals to unite at Inter Miami
Reached the very top of the global game
Have smashed countless records between them
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
Portuguese superstar Ronaldo was the first to take tentative steps down a path to superstardom, with Manchester United snapping up his obvious potential in 2003. Argentine icon Messi made his senior bow for Barcelona in October 2004.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
There was to be no stopping them from there, with the history books being rewritten while claiming 13 Ballons d'Or between them. International honours have been collected in the form of European Championship, Copa America, UEFA Nations League and World Cup triumphs.
DID YOU KNOW?
Both are still going strong in the latter stages of their respective careers, with Ronaldo committing to a contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr that will take him beyond the age of 42. Messi is seeing an extension until 2028 mooted at MLS outfit Inter Miami.
WHAT BROWN SAID
Quizzed on whether they could ever grace the same side, Ronaldo's former Manchester United team-mate Wes Brown - speaking in association with 7bet football betting - told GOAL: 'I would love that.
'We talk about all these strikers over the years - [Robert] Lewandowski, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, [Didier] Drogba, [Wayne] Rooney - these two are completely different. You can't even put them in the same category. They just keep on going with what they have done in the game, the goals, the assists, what they have won. You can't really compare them to anyone else. These two for me stand out alone on many things.
'The fact that Messi is still going, he's really enjoying his time at Miami. I don't think it's a competition but at the same time, it may be. No-one else can be in this competition. It's like 'okay, you pick me, I pick you, but you lot are not good enough to be in our league, so it's me against him'. I think that's brilliant.
'Imagine if they didn't have anyone to compete against. Maybe you might not have seen this. Regardless of what anyone says, it's not nasty competition, it's friendly competition. These two guys have been the best for the last 15, 16 years. It's been very hard, even though there are some unbelievable players in the world, to get anywhere near them.'
WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO & MESSI?
Ronaldo and Messi openly admit that they have never been friends - having once graced opposing sides of the fierce Barcelona vs Real Madrid El Clasico divide - but they have the utmost respect for one another and will seemingly continue to dazzle global audiences for some time yet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Real Madrid 2025/26 Season Preview: Team News, Key Dates, Predictions
The La Liga campaign will kick off on August 19th for Real Madrid as they take on Osasuna, becoming the last two teams to start the 2025/26 season with the latest match time and date of the round. It marks the start of a campaign in which Real Madrid will seek to regain their crown as champions of Spain, which they surrendered to Barcelona last season as they missed out on all domestic silverware. Failure to win in 2025/26 would mean the first time that Real Madrid have missed out on the title for two years running since 2019. Ahead of the new season, Real Madrid has a very different leadership, look and structure to their team. With a new coach implementing a new philosophy and new formation, 2025/26 will be a test of Xabi Alonso's mettle. What's new for Real Madrid in 2025/26? The Real Madrid of 2025/26 is significantly different from the side that started last season just 12 months ago. Xabi Alonso has returned to the club, this time as coach, to replace the legendary Carlo Ancelotti and brought with him a wind of change. One of the major changes is the man wearing the captain's armband. After 597 appearances over 13 years, Luka Modrić has moved on to join AC Milan on a free transfer, leaving right-back Dani Carvajal to take over the duty. The new vice-captains include Fede Valverde, Thibaut Courtois and Vinícius Júnior as the three next-longest serving players. On the transfer front, Real Madrid has focused primarily on defensive additions. Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined from Liverpool to compete with captain Carvajal and provide a succession plan for the right-back position. Additionally, Dean Huijsen has come in from Bournemouth and looks to have walked straight into the team, and Álvaro Carreras has also signed on the left from Benfica to fight with Fran García and Ferland Mendy. Further forward, Franco Mastantuono has signed from River Plate after scoring 10 goals in 64 games from the wing, though he won't join his new team for training until he turns 18 on August 14th. There have also been some important breakthroughs in the squad already previewed in the Club World Cup. Gonzalo García has now signed a first-team contract after being the team's top scorer in the United States, and Arda Güler is also in line to have a more prominent role. After an intense summer schedule, Real Madrid will start the season without some key figures. The main headline will be the absence of Jude Bellingham, who isn't expected to return until October following surgery on a long-term should problem. Also ruled out is Endrick Felipe, who tore his hamstring late last season against Sevilla. In the short-term, Fede Valverde is expected to be fit despite missing a pre-season exhibition game with a muscle strain. Eduardo Camavinga is also an injury doubt after picking up a twisted ankle in training, and Ferland Mendy could come into contention after over three months out. Additionally, suspension will prevent Antonio Rüdiger from taking part in the season debut against Osasuna on August 19th. It remains the final, and sixth, game of his suspension handed to him after throwing ice at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea at the Copa del Rey final. The first key date for Real Madrid will be the start of the La Liga season on August 19th, with the opening fixture against Osasuna. Nine days later, on August 28th, the UEFA Champions League league stage draw will take place to decide who Real Madrid will play in the first stage of the continental competition. The first game of that league phase will take place in the week of September 15th. The next major fixture will come in late September, the weekend of September 28th, as Real Madrid cross the city to take on neighbors and rivals Atlético Madrid. The Colchoneros will make the return journey over the weekend of March 22nd. The first Clásico against FC Barcelona of the 2025/26 campaign will then take place over the weekend of October 26th, at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The reverse fixture will take place at Spotify Camp Nou on the weekend of May 10th. The Spanish Super Cup will take place between January 7th and January 11th in Saudi Arabia, while a potential Copa del Rey final would be held on April 26th at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville. There is an unpredictable element to Real Madrid this season with so many changes both on and off the field. Defensively, many eyes will be on how this new-look defence will fare. Dean Huijsen is set for a crucial role in his first season, alongside an Aurélien Tchouameni who already looks irreplaceable in his ball-playing role in the middle of the back three. The midfield could also experience a major transition. The gap vacated by Luka Modrić has granted an opportunity, and Turkish 20-year-old Arda Güler looks primed to capitalize after breaking into the team during the Club World Cup. His progress this season could be one to watch. In attack, Kylian Mbappé is set to compete for the Pichichi award as Spain's top goalscorer for a second year running. A slow start in his debut season allowed Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski to lead for much of 2024/25, but Mbappé overtook him late on as he ended the season with 31 goals in 34 games.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Report – Inter Milan Contemplate Late Summer Bid For Olympiacos Midfielder
Inter Milan could reportedly submit a late summer offer for Olympiacos defensive midfielder Santiago Hezze. According to Greek publication Kokkinos Protathlis via FCInterNews, the Italian giants are seeing the Argentine as a last-gasp option. Despite splashing north of €75 million on new signings, Inter are not ready to pull the plug on their summer spending. Indeed, the San Siro club will try to strengthen the midfield department toward the end of the summer. Inter Milan Considering Late Summer Swoop for Olympiacos Ace Santiago Hezze LUGANO, SWITZERLAND – JULY 12: FC Internazionale Sportif Director Milano Piero Ausilio looks on before Pre-season Friendly between FC Lugano v FC Internazionale at Cornaredo Stadium on July 12, 2022 in Lugano, Switzerland. (Photo by) A midfield addition would've been necessary had Hakan Calhanoglu joined Fenerbahce or Galatasaray. However, Inter are still considering adding to their midfield options. Still, Cristian Chivu could make a late push to sign a new deep-lying playmaker at the end of August. Hezze has emerged as a potential solution. Despite plying his trade in the Greek championship, Hezze's stock has skyrocketed since joining Olympiacos. Indeed, the former Flamengo midfielder has gone from strength to strength at the Karaiskakis Stadium. Therefore, Inter cannot expect to sign him on favorable terms.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Real Madrid ask FIFA to block Villarreal vs. Barcelona from being held in Miami
Real Madrid have called on FIFA, global football's governing body, to prevent the league match between Barcelona and Villarreal from taking place in Miami, Florida. On Monday, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) approved La Liga's request for Villarreal's home game against Barca in December to be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The RFEF will now submit a request to UEFA to initiate the procedures for FIFA to grant authorisation for the fixture change. If the game goes ahead, it would be the first time a European top-flight league fixture has taken place in the U.S. Madrid expressed their 'firm rejection of the proposal' in a statement on Tuesday and criticised it for deviating from the principle of clubs playing half of their league fixtures at home and the other half at their opponent's stadiums. 'The integrity of the competition requires that all matches take place under the same conditions for all teams,' Madrid said. 'Unilaterally modifying this regime breaks the equality between contenders, compromises the legitimacy of the results and sets an unacceptable precedent that opens the door to exceptions based on interests that are not strictly sporting, clearly affecting sporting integrity and risking the adulteration of the competition. If this proposal were to be carried out, its consequences would be so serious that it would be a turning point in the world of football. Advertisement 'Any modification of this nature must, in any case, have the express and unanimous agreement of all the clubs participating in the competition, as well as strictly respecting the national and international rules governing the organisation of official competitions.' In the statement, Madrid ask FIFA to 'not to authorise the holding of the match without the prior consent of all the clubs participating in the competition.' The club also asked UEFA to 'urge the RFEF to withdraw or deny the request' and called on the Spanish government's Higher Sports Council (Consejo Superior de Deportes, CSD) to not grant 'the necessary administrative authorisation.' The Athletic have contacted FIFA and UEFA for comment. In April 2024, La Liga president Javier Tebas insisted that he wanted to stage La Liga matches abroad by the 2025-26 season, arguing that a match in the U.S. would 'strengthen our position in the North American market'. Tebas has previously had issues with Madrid president Florentino Perez, most notably over the proposed European Super League that was heavily advocated for by Madrid. The dispute between the pair goes back to when Tebas was elected La Liga president in 2013, with a mandate to centralise its TV broadcast revenues, meaning more money for the majority of smaller clubs who had supported Tebas for the job, but left Madrid (and Barcelona) feeling they were no longer being rewarded for generating the majority of interest in the league. Villarreal vs. Barcelona is currently slated to take place on the weekend of December 20-21 at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica. Earlier on Tuesday, Villarreal president Fernando Roig claimed that Villarreal fans would fly to Miami for free or have a 20 per cent discount on their season-ticket if the fixture gets the necessary approval. () Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
