Cristiano Ronaldo says his rivalry with Lionel Messi was like Senna and Prost
In a CNN interview Ronaldo described a decade-and-a-half of competition with Lionel Messi as respectful and mutually motivating.
Cristiano Ronaldo reflected on his long-standing rivalry with Lionel Messi, calling their competition constructive and saying it pushed both players to improve. The Portuguese forward spoke about the era when the two dominated world football and frequently vied for the game's top individual honours in an interview with CNN.
Ronaldo recalled the close relationship they maintained off the pitch and some lighter moments between them. "For fifteen years we shared the same podium and always got on very well. I remember that I translated for him a few times what people were saying in English. He always treated me well," he said.
Rivalry rooted in mutual respect
He emphasised that, despite competing fiercely, both always defended the interests of their clubs and national teams. "He defended his club, I defended mine. He played for his national team, and I for mine. Throughout all those years he wanted to give his maximum and score goals, just like me. It was a healthy rivalry, like between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. I think we motivated each other," Ronaldo added.
The comparison to Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost underlines how Ronaldo sees their duel: not as personal enmity but as a defining sporting rivalry that shaped an era. Senna and Prost are remembered for one of the most intense rivalries in Formula 1 during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Ronaldo's remarks add a personal perspective to a long-debated chapter of modern football, reminding fans that the competition between two of the sport's greatest players carried both competitive fire and mutual regard.
Photo: press material from the event
