Cristiano Ronaldo Says He and Lionel Messi Make Each Other Better
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken of his burgeoning relationship with arch-rival Lionel Messi, and he claims the pair drive each other on to greater levels of performance on the pitch.
In a new film about the former Manchester United player's life, which is slated to be released on Nov. 9, Ronaldo mused about his relationship with the Barcelona icon and how it has evolved in recent years, as quoted by David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror: “Over the past year, our relationship has improved. I see him not as a rival but as a person. I see him as someone who makes me a better player and I make him a better player.”
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McDonnell described how the new documentary, Ronaldo, depicts the warmth between the two greats as Messi met the Portugal international and his family at the most recent Ballon d'Or ceremony.
However, the pair have had a fierce competition throughout their playing careers, battling for the title of the world's best player since 2008.
Ronaldo first captured the Ballon d'Or crown that season while playing for United, but Messi went on to win the title for the next four years, per the Telegraph, eclipsing the winger as he chose to switch to Los Blancos.
Bernabeu legend Zinedine Zidane recently stated to French TV programme Canal Football Club (h/t James Whaling of the Daily Mirror) that he believes Messi has a positive effect on Ronaldo, as the Portugal international uses the Argentina captain as a yardstick for his performance:
"Fifty to 55 goals per season is just not human.
But you should see him at training. At training, he's a guy who every ball, every match, every corner... he wants to score, he wants to win.
And when he scores he does the same thing he does in a match. He's happy and he falls to his knees [to celebrate]... it's incredible.
There's a feature in all of that and it's that there's another player opposite who pushes him. That's to say the rivalry he has with Messi.
He doesn't need that [to perform]. But what keeps him scoring 55 to 60 goals a season is the fact that he says to himself 'this year I have to score one more than the other guy every time.'
"
Both players have shattered records on their way to multiple titles, but Messi holds the edge in 2015 after Barca's dramatic treble success under coach Luis Enrique.
The 28-year-old attacking midfielder netted an astonishing 53 goals in La Liga and the Champions League on the way to the Blaugrana's clean sweep last term, according to WhoScored.com.
However, the Real Madrid star maintained his exceptional standards during the 2014-15 campaign, scoring 58 times in the league and Europe, per WhoScored.com, eclipsing Messi's personal numbers.
Ronaldo, 30, recently told Kicker (h/t Stefan Coerts of Goal.com) he doesn't care if Messi is crowned the world's best at the next Ballon d'Or, but he added in his opinion he is still the greatest talent on earth, saying: "I think this attitude is one of the reasons why I have improved so much throughout my career and why I have achieved so much."
History will not be able to split the careers of either player, and both will be remembered as their generation's most outstanding talents.
Ronaldo rose through the ranks at United after being purchased by Sir Alex Ferguson, turning from skinny teenager into a herculean talent for the ages.
Messi will continue to drive Ronaldo on to bigger and better achievements, but the same is true in reverse, as the Barcelona icon looks to add more trophies to his glittering collection.
